Interview with YA Author Heather Lotto

Today YA author Heather Letto shares about her book, The Imparting, a YA dytopian novel.

How did you choose the title The Imparting?

This is the last book of the Ascension Series… Book 1—Impervious, Book 2—Implanted, sooooo…. The IMP’s have it!  But more than that, in this story the imparting is the way to freedom… or death. 

Although the Ascension Series is a post-apocalyptic non-religious read, it is also Christian fiction because of its allegorical nature to the gospel message.

Did you design the cover?

I helped in the design (chose the model, and put in my two cents) BUT, Anita Carroll (@race-point.com), Cover designer extraordinaire is the artist.

How would you describe the book to someone in a text message?

Wow! They’re being held prisoner, and they don’t even know it!

Who is your main character and what problem does she face?

Fran. Well, Actually Sarah-Frances Monde, but she goes by Fran.  Her problems are many. At first, it might appear that her main problem is procuring dinner and dodging the Impervious holographic security. Yet, her brother’s MIA, and both of her parents already gone, so when her mentor slides down the awful slope of the decline, avoiding the Beast takes precedence. And then there’s Pete… and the Council…

What might draw someone to your character?

Anyone who has dealt with death, abandonment, living on the fringe of society, had a crush, wanted an adventure, feared for their life, or wondered what might be on the other side would probably relate to Fran. Those who haven’t experienced those sorts of things, might just be enamored by Fran’s no-B.S., kick-butt attitude. She’s pretty cool.

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was young, (sigghhhhh) I wanted to be 1. An Olympic gymnast, 2. A flight attendant, 3. Janis Joplin. Yes… all at the same time.

Do you still want to be that?

Not really. I like who I am now. (Plus the above plan really sounds pretty exhausting!)

What’s the most times you’ve read a book and why?

I read Nicholas Spark’s A Walk to Remember three times! (And saw the movie twice!) Two of those three times I had forgotten I had read it already until a few chapters in. And then I was truly bummed, because I remembered what was going to happen. Then again, I did continue reading it.

What are three unusual things about you your readers might not know?

1.      While writing the final two books in the Ascension Series I was living in an R.V. travelling around the U.S.

2.      I cannot tolerate carpooling in a minivan or SUV. EVER.

3.      I’m a figure skater.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

When I was a tween, I travelled from Argentina to the U.S. in a single engine six-passenger airplane that my father piloted.

I sense a story here …

Travel and adventure were big in my home growing up. As a matter of fact, when I was in the sixth grade, my parents moved the entire family from 'burbs of Chicago to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for a few years. For those unfamiliar with this country, Argentina sits on the Atlantic side of South America beneath the "belly" of Brazil. While living in the Southern Hemisphere, I lived a pretty normal life, going to school, hanging with friends, crushing on boys, etc. And during school breaks, we continued the tradition of family vacations. Yet, rather than Disney or the Grand Canyon, we had the beaches of Uruguay, the Andes Mountains of Chile and the Great Iguacu Falls bordering Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. Good family fun, indeed. The biggest (and to date, the best) family trip we made, however, was when it was time to return 'home', and my father made the decision to pilot us back to the 'States' in his single engine, six-seater, Beachcraft  Bonanza airplane. This several-week journey took us through jungles to beaches and Amazonian villages to coastal mega-cities. Memories of walking on lily pads the size of car tires and dodging hairy tarantulas bigger than my fist compete with the visions of the exotic beaches of in Rio de Jainero and fancy buffets laden with tropical fruits, cheeses, yummy croissants, jellies and Dulce de Leche. I can still hear the hum of the outboard motor as we skipped along the Amazon river in a very 'rustic' boat with a local villager and the squeal of my mother as he dove in to 'swim with the piranhas.’ The faces of the Paraguayan women toting mammoth baskets of fruit on their heads makes me smile as much as the flock of  flamingos that graced our outdoor buffet. However, as tween, I can assure you, I also squabbled with my brother in the backseat of the plane when he took up more than his allotted space, or whined  "Can we land soon?"  (a lot). I mean, after all. I'm only human.

Favorite verse?

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^a have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

What advice would you give a teen who wants to be a writer?

Work hard and be open to criticism. It’s how you grow.

~~~

November is BOOK PROMO MONTH for The Ascension Series! Impervious and Implanted have already had free download days, but they are both on sale for 0.99 for the rest of the month HERE 

 The Imparting will have a random FREE DOWNLOAD DAY within the next two weeks.

Watch for it on Facebook Fan page because it will be announced HERE 

AND

The Grand Prize Giveaway Drawing will be on November 30^th  HERE

(Soft cover, signed copies of the entire trilogy, SWAG-GALORE*, AND A $25 Amazon gift card)

*Swag includes buttons, bracelets, bookmarks & chocolate

Order all three books from amazon HERE 

Interview with YA author Julie Hall

Today we're talking with Julie Hall, author of the YA novel,  Life After: Huntress, and an adventure junkie. (More about that later)

How did you choose the title?

Well, the original title for the series was actually Life Ever After. Kind of a mash up of “Happily Ever After” and “The After Life.” I thought it was catchy and appropriate since it was a story about what happens to a girl after she dies and most of us think of people’s “ever afters” ending with death, not starting with it. Being a believer, I also believe that we will have an existence after death (even though my depiction of the afterlife in the book is not, and is not meant to be, Biblically accurate). That title will always have a little place in my heart. My publisher pushed to change the title to something different since they thought Life Ever After sounded a little too much like a fairy tale. Valid point! So the series title of Life After was decided on instead and the first book to be called Huntress to convey the action aspect of the story.

Genre?

Young Adult. *biting lip* If you want to talk about sub genre I would call it a Supernatural Young Adult Fiction book.

How would you describe the book to someone in a text message?

Fun question!!!!

“Dead face emoji, clouds emoji, sword emoji, fire emoji, dancing girl emoji, laughing face emoji, boy girl heart emoji, crying face emoji, devil emoji & dog emoji (I’d throw in that last one just because I like dogs). The End.”

I’m fairly confident any self-respecting teen would be able to understand exactly what the plot is from that message.

Who is your main character and what problem does he/she face?

My main character’s name is Audrey. She’s an eighteen-year-old girl who has just woken up in the afterlife without any memories of her actual life. If that isn’t hard enough, she’s assigned the job of hunting and fighting demons to protect the living for the rest of her existence. She quickly discovers this isn’t something she’s a natural at, after all, she’d rather be discussing her nail color then breaking them on angelic weapons. She also has to learn to work with her over achieving trainer, Logan, who is as attractive as he is annoying. She’s convinced that God has made a huge mistake with her assignment. Without the memories of a caring Father she also questions His love for her as well as her purpose in the afterlife.

What prompted you to write this book?

I wanted to write a Young Adult (YA) book with Christian aspects in it, but exciting enough to engage any reader. The YA genre in the Christian fiction market is practically non-existent. Lots of Christian bookstores don’t even have a YA section, but if you go into any secular bookstore you’ll see that YA books are booming right now. Like there’s been a serious explosion at Barnes and Noble and you can’t walk more than a few feet without running into a YA novel. Honestly, my book kind of straddles the fence of secular and Christian – being that God is an actual character in the novel, yet the version of the afterlife I’ve created isn’t theologically accurate. For that reason it does better online than in bookstores because booksellers can’t quite figure out where to shelve it. Ha! Oh well, readers are finding it anyway!

What did you bring to the book from your own life?

Without realizing it I brought a lot of my real life struggles to this book. In the middle of writing Huntress I came down with a debilitating chronic illness that left me bed ridden and full of brain fog for several years. In the middle of that my husband and I were going through the adoption process (which we started before I became ill). There were days I didn’t see much of a future past getting through the next hour. I had to stop writing at one point because I was unable to even type. My fingers were too swollen and ridden with arthritis to push the keys, and I was only in my 20s. It wasn’t until the book was completed and I went back and read through the whole draft that I realized my own hurt, frustration, and feeling of abandonment were woven into the story. Interestingly enough it was the sections that I wrote before I became ill that mirrored how I felt during the height of my illness.  

What makes your book stand out from other books like it?

I think what makes my book stand out from other books like it is that it’s more than just a clean YA read. And it’s also more than just a book full of the things I love to read in YA books such as a great adventure story, creative world building, supernatural elements, romance, and action. God’s love is woven into the Life After series, which is what makes it so much more than just a good read. You can read the book for pure enjoyment sake, but you’re also going to be taking something away from it that has deeper meaning as well.

What is one thing you learned from writing this book?

Ummmm, am I allowed to say how important editors are? Because seriously, none of us should be releasing anything without a good editor. I’m hesitate to even release these interview questions without an editor. I’m telling you, editors are worth their weight in gold!!!!!

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

This question is easy! I wanted to never grow up!

Do you still want to be that?

Yes! I still very much don’t want to ever grow up.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I have a really hard time falling asleep, and so I used to make up stories in my head to pass the hours lying awake at night. Counting sheep does not work people! By the time I was in middle school the stories were pretty elaborate, and that’s about when I started to really get into reading for fun. I think that was when I started to think it would be really cool to be an author someday.

What’s the most times you’ve read a book and why? Title?

Honestly, unless it was a book for school I got assigned twice I don’t think I’ve ever read a book more than once. I remember too many of the details for it to be fun for me to re-read a book. I have gone back and read my favorite scene from books in the past, but never the whole thing. There are too many awesome unread books out there that are vying for my attention!

What are three unusual things about you your readers might not know?

Oh this is a super fun game! Hmmmm, let me think!

1.)    I took sword-fighting classes so I could more accurately write the fight scenes in my books. In my mind I was a rock star at it, however, I wouldn’t let my husband video any of the classes. On the off chance I had an over inflated view of myself, I didn’t want to shatter the illusion.

2.)    I think book signings are just about the most intimidating things on the face of the planet . . . besides wolverines.

3.)    I can legally officiate a wedding! That is for the next 11 months until my license expires. I just performed my first (and last) wedding for my best friend this month . . . you’d have to pay me A LOT of money to convince me to do another one.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

This was a tough question for me because I’m big into adventure and extreme sports. Some of my favorite things to do are snow boarding, rock climbing, bungee jumping, repelling down waterfalls, zip lining, dying my hair all sorts of different colors, and traveling all over the world.  But the most adventurous thing I’ve ever done was probably adopting my daughter. All the other things are momentary adventures, but bringing home my daughter is a lifetime adventure for my husband and me.

Do you have life philosophy? Favorite verse?

I actually have my favorite verse tattooed on my wrist (much to my mother’s disappointment). The verse is Hebrews 12:2 which reads “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorned it’s shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The short explanation is that it reminds me where I need to have my eyes fixed, who is the true author of our life stories, what Jesus did for us and where He is today.

What advice would you give a teen who wants to be a writer?

I’d tell them not to be scared to reach out to their favorite authors for advice. Yes, there may be some that never get back to you, but on the whole I’ve found that most authors love interacting with their readers and would be more than happy to give them advice on how to be a published writer one day.

Julie has two Goldendoodles, Coco and Bear.

You can connect with Julie and also buy her book on her website

You can find her author page HERE

Nanowrimo

November is National Novel Writing Month, which has been shortened to Nanowrimo. The challenge is to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. I think that comes out to around 1,670 words a day. The whole Nanowrimo idea has become a big deal in the past several years.  Now there is a webpage where you can log in your daily word count, make a profile about yourself, announce your novel and so on.

In the past I haven't been able to take part in it because I was not at a point where I was ready to start a novel. One year, not to feel left out, I wrote over 70,000 words of a devotion book for which I had a contract. But I couldn't officially register because it wasn't a novel.

This year I am officially taking part in Nanowrimo, writing a YA novel called Catching Hope. The main character is a 15-year-old girl named Lexi who, along with her twin brother, has recently been adopted out of foster care. The family goes to Haiti to take part in medical work, but Chad, Jen, Lexi and Levi are kidnapped and they must learn to work together in order to survive.

This is November 3, and I have written 4, 943 words. I need to get moving!

Interview with YA Author Linda Hoover

Today Linda Hoover talks about her new book, Mountain Prophecy, a young adult novel set in the Appalachian Mountains. 

Who is your main character and what problem does he/she face?

There are three main characters. Dusty, Darla and Aidan. In the beginning, Dusty and Darla, teen twins, have the same goal. Rescue the missing girls and prove to their cousins they’re more than city kids. Then Darla believes God is calling her to help by going into the mine. Dusty’s new goal is to prevent her from going in on her own. He still wants to rescue the girls, but it’s not to make himself look good. Now he believes it’s the right thing to do.

Darla wants to be sensitive to God’s leading, and she has a soft heart for those who need help. Her problem is convincing Dusty to see her point of view. When that fails, she has to find the courage to do it without his support.      

Prince Aidan knows his people need help, but his father refuses to do anything other than wait for the prophecy to be fulfilled. Aidan has a hard time believing it could be real until he catches a glimpse of Darla. From that moment on he is focused on doing whatever it takes to make life better for the people living with him.

What prompted you to write this book?

Several years ago I took a correspondence course with the Institute for Children’s Literature. One of the assignments was to write a short story. I wrote about trolls in a mine. That idea stuck in the back of my mind and I eventually turned it into Mountain Prophecy.  

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

What I wanted to be when I grew up changed several times over the years. They included being a teacher, nurse, actress, airline stewardess and astronaut. By the time I got to college I still hadn’t settled on anything and chose psychology because it was interesting.

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

From the time I was small I corralled my siblings and friends into acting in  plays I’d come up with or I’d set the scene for active play. I was only nine when I started writing fan fiction in my head. By the time I was twelve I started putting it on paper. The stories never stopped coming and a friend suggested I take a course and try to get published. It was an “ah ha” moment. I’ve been working toward that goal ever since.

What’s the most times you’ve read a book and why?

I loved the Little House on the Prairie series. I don’t even know how many times I read those books.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

I’ve been blessed to do a lot of traveling. The furthest I’ve gone is Australia. We crossed the international date line which caused us to lose a day on the way there. It was especially strange on the way home, because we landed in the US the day before we left Australia. On the way back we got home the day before we left. 

It was a wonderful trip, but I think the most adventurous thing I’ve done was when my husband and I took our kids on a mission trip with Heart to Honduras. We witnessed third world living first hand. It was an eye opener for all of us. On our last day there the trip organizers took us to a park with a beautiful waterfall. 

We actually got in the water and swam/walked behind the falls and if that wasn’t exciting enough there was a rock, almost as high as the falls that we could jump off of. I didn’t let that opportunity go by. I’ll have to say that’s the most adventurous thing I’ve done. 

Do you have life philosophy? Favorite verse?

My favorite Bible verses are found in Philippians 4:4-7

What advice would you give a teen who wants to be a writer?

Learn all you can about the craft of writing. Write everyday. Have patience, don’t give up even when you receive rejections and criticism. Try to learn from those experiences. Know going into it that it’s not an easy road.

Linda playing Rock Band with her son.

Connect with Linda on her webpage or her Facebook author page

You can buy the kindle edition of her book HERE

Author Interviews

 If you've been following this blog for very long, you'll have read several interviews with authors who write for teens. These are all Christian authors, but they write a wide variety of genres. If you've missed some along the way, I've featured: (click the name to read the interview)
Diana Sharples

Cynthia Toney

Bryan Davis

AJ Cattapan

Monica Mynk

Jean Ann Williams

Sherrie Giddens

JC Morrows

Tonja Condray Klein

Katherine Nelson

Angela Moody

Burton Cole (middle grade author)

And stay tuned. There are more to come.

Interview with YA author Angela Moody

Angela Moody joins us today to talk about her book, No Safe Haven.

How did it get its title? Angela explains:
 All through the writing process I kept calling my book “Tillie Pierce” after my main character, but needed a catchy title for publishing. I brainstormed with my critique group and someone made the comment that she had no safe place to hide from the war, and after mulling those words around, we came up with No Safe Haven. I liked it, so “Tillie Pierce” became No Safe Haven.

Did you design the cover?

 I didn’t design the cover, but I had a conceptual idea of what I wanted. I used the services at Paper and Sage, and though I’ve forgotten the woman’s name, she was really helpful and listened to what I had in mind. I had a picture of Tillie I found on the internet and wanted to use that, with a background of a civil war picture, but the pixels were too low for her. My daughter and I went to Gettysburg for the 150^th reenactment and she took some pictures while we were there. She let me look through them and I sent six to Paper and Sage. They chose the one on the cover and Voila! She was also kind enough to give my daughter copyright credit for the photo.

Who is your main character and what problem does he/she face?

 My main character is fifteen-year-old Tillie Pierce, she lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1863. The problem she faces is that the Confederates are about to storm her town. She is brought up in a Christian home, but doesn’t want to worship a God who would allow the unbridled carnage she sees around her.

What might draw someone to your character?

 What might draw someone to my character? I’ve had many people who have read the book say that they can relate to her confusion about God and how we sometimes can’t see what he is doing in the midst of the “messes” we’re in. Tillie is in the same position. After 9/11, my children asked me why God would allow something like that to happen. That theme runs very strongly through No Safe Haven, as I was trying to find a way to answer that question.

What makes your book stand out from other books like it?

My book is a historical fiction with no romance in it. It was written for young girls who want to learn something, but enjoy a good story at the same time. I think the fact that there’s no romance, is what stands out. It’s an unvarnished look at how human beings interact with each other during the worst times, without being offensive or graphic.

What is one thing you learned from writing this book?

I learned that the Lord is faithful. I endured many strange occurrences as I was writing this book and looking back I realized that every time I needed advice or research or something, it would come my way in the strangest ways. For instance, in one church scene I needed a hymn that would fit the mood I was trying to create. Every Sunday at church, I would scan the hymnal and during the week I did internet searches trying to find the “perfect” hymn. This went on for months and I was about to give up and ask our music director if she could help me when that Sunday for the first and only time, we sang a hymn called  Am I A Soldier of the Cross? It was exactly what I was looking for. I went through periods of unemployment for periods of a year or more when I was at a point where the writing was coming fast and furious – boom! I’d lose my job for one reason or the other. (Always economic downturn stuff, never performance issues.) In fact, I’m ready to begin writing my new book and two weeks ago, lost my job again. What does that say for the Lord’s faithfulness?

About You

When did you know you wanted to be an author?

When I was  young I always wanted to write. Even from a very young age, I knew that was what I was good at. The problem was overcoming ridicule and lack of support from my family. Then when I got older, I got married and had a family at 24 and so put “all that” on the shelf and did what was necessary to raise my children, but I knew I wanted to be an author at least from the time I was 12 or so years old.

What are three things someone may not know about you?

1.  I am a expert crocheter. I make afghans for family members and friends mostly for wedding gifts, etc.

2.  I was always an avid reader. I did try to athletics in high school and played softball my freshman year in high school, but that was a pathetic exercise. Books were always my refuge.

3.  I had to work hard to overcome almost debilitating shyness as a teenager and young adult. When I was in my 20s a friend of mine told me that all I had to do, for a start, was to look someone in the eye and say hello. Once I learned to do that, I came out of my shell. I’m still quiet and reticent at first, but I warm up quickly now.

What books have influenced you most?

I have always been a historical fiction reader. John Jakes, Anya Seton, Margaret Mitchell (of course) and now Bernard Cornwell are some of my favorites. I like those writers because I learned something of history, and had a really good story to read at the same time.

What’s the most times you’ve read a book and why?

 Anya Seton, who passed away in 1990, wrote a book called Katherine. It was about Katherine Swynford who became the third wife of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster. When I was about 14, a friend of mine gave me the book saying she thought I might like it. The story was so beautifully crafted and full of rich detail about life in medieval England. Until that time I had never heard of John of Gaunt or the Plantagenet’s or Katherine Swynford, the commoner who became a duchess. I was hooked. I have no idea how many times I read that book, but I literally read the covers off it, bought a new copy and did it again. Then, I went out and got every book Anya Seton wrote that were still in publication.

What advice would you give a teen who wants to be a writer?

As for any advice I’d give a teen who wants to write? I’d say, write. Don’t let the voices in your head tell you you’re not good enough. I listened to those voices for too long and they got me nowhere. If the good Lord designed you for crafting words then you must be obedient to His will and use the talent He gave you.

You can connect with Angela on her Goodreads page or her Face Book page

  

Interview with YA author Katherine Nelson

Today we are talking with Katherine Nelson, author of Escape the Pain to Survive, which is a Christian YA novel she classifies as action/suspense with a hint of sci-fi and romance. It's the first book in The New Waiver trilogy.

How did you choose the title? 

It was a long process, knowing that there would be three books and wanting a pattern to follow for the titles. I knew the word "Pain" would appear in all three as it is not only a reoccurring theme in the story but also a means by which I believe we all grow whether physically, mentally, or emotionally. With that in mind, I felt the words "Escape" and "Survive" best described heroine Sam's situation physically and emotionally in the first book. 

Did you design the cover? 

It was a joint venture really. I gave my publisher the idea of a long road leading out into the untouched dessert wilderness and the catch phrase, "A chance for a future? Or a death trap?" I also gave them a photograph that I took while traveling through New Mexico several years ago in the same area where the story takes place. They handled the rest and pieced it all together with a little bit of adjusting at the end. 


How would you describe the book to someone in a text message? 

Escape the Pain to Survive is the first of three in The New Waiver trilogy about a secret military based program that's recruiting young people ages 15 to 17, particularly from troubled homes or traumatic pasts as it gives them the opportunity to sign their own waiver without parental consent. 

Who is your main character, and what problem does she face? 

My main character is a seventeen-year-old girl named Sam Jones. Escaping an abusive home, she seeks to find a second chance for a future, but soon finds that the program she signed up for is not looking so promising either. Even more, she seeks to find meaning and purpose in her life. 

What might draw someone to your character? 

She asks the hard questions in life and is determined to make a difference, but she also has many flaws, weaknesses, and struggles. She's not exceptionally beautiful, talented, or smart, but the struggles she's faced make her resilient and determined to become someone better. 

What prompted you to write this book? 

Two things. First, I was tired of looking for a good Christian action/suspense novel that was both realistic and also weaved the gospel message and scripture right into the text in the same way that we should apply it to our own lives in reality. One day I picked up my smartphone and decided to just write my own. Second, I wanted to create a story where the heroes and heroines are a broken group of young people who have had tough pasts and endured trauma. Far too often, I believe society puts people in a box of medical and psychological definitions, particularly our youth. I wanted to turn that logic around and show that the phrase "freedom in Christ" truly means freedom and a new start in which we can leave the past behind and become someone better. 

What did you bring to the book from your own life? 

Hmm, I'd have to say a lot. From the militaristic aspects of my life to my passion for fitness, I feel the whole book and trilogy bleeds through with small pieces of my life. I had an elaborate imaginary play world with my brother when I was growing up and I like to say writing brought it back to life as an adult. One of the most surprising things I brought from my own life are depictions of nightmares. I've never been a sound sleeper and always made friends with the night. Dreaming up nightmares for the story came a bit too natural! 

What makes your book stand out from other books like it? 

I think really the mixture of action, suspense, and even violence that you would expect more from a secular book and the biblical doctrine and passages that you often don't find in Christian books of the same genre. 

What is one thing you learned from writing this book? 

I learned that writing is an adventure and even more fun than reading when you let your imagination run wild and your story play out in front of you. 

About You 

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

I wanted to join the military and serve and protect my country. 

Do you still want to be that? 

I'm quite content now as a law enforcement officer and part-time college instructor and CrossFit coach.

 

When did you know you wanted to be an author? 

I never really decided I wanted to be an author. It just happened the day I decided to pick up my smartphone and start writing. I honestly caught myself by surprise, especially since I was always better at math than English. 

Did anything unusual or funny happen on your journey to becoming an author? 

Not necessarily unusual, but definitely the most surprising thing was I learned a lot about myself. As I wrote the trilogy and each of my characters faced and worked through issues in their lives, I saw many things in my own life that I had never faced and conquered through Christ. It was amazing to see my personal transformation over the year span that I took to write it. 

Probably the funniest thing that happened was as I got deeper into my plot I began dreaming about it since often times I'd get my characters into a hopeless situation and needed to find a way out! Several portions were actually written when I first woke up after I figured things out in my sleep. 

What books have influenced you most? 

The Bible, of course, and Pilgrims Progress. 

What’s the most times you’ve read a book and why?

Besides the Bible, Pilgrims Progress. I probably read it four or five times as a teen. I loved the transformation in Pilgrim/Christian's life and all the parallels it had to our spiritual walk. Honestly, it's the only book other than the Bible that interested me enough to read more than once! 

What are three unusual things about you your readers might not know? 

Even though I have a Master's Degree in math, I hated it in high school. I literally started college at fifteen as a deal with my dad. He told me that if I took the one semester Pre-Calculus class he taught at the college in the fall, it would count as my year of math and I wouldn't have to do any in the spring. Five years later, I graduated with my bachelor's degree . . . in math of course! 

I met my husband as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol. I was the squadron commander, and he was my First Sgt. We were friends for four years before one day we actually decided to date. The rest is history! 

I took two years of fencing lessons (yes . . . sword fighting) when I was a teenager. I even placed fourth in a Junior Olympic qualifier. 

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? 

I attended a mentally and physically rigorous week long survival course in New Mexico when I was eighteen and a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol. It was called Pararescue Orientation Course and was run by Air Force special forces members. We built parachute shelters to live in and learned survival skills such as fire building, mountain climbing, repelling, and land navigation. The best part . . . we lived off of MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat) for the entire week. Yum!!! 

Do you have life philosophy? Favorite verse? 

My life philosophy is to live life to the fullest by faith, with no regrets. I think it's a common philosophy in our world today minus the faith aspect, but really, we as Christians should live life to the fullest all the more knowing we're saved by grace and that we have the power through Christ to do all things. I choose not to live my life in regrets when He has forgiven my sins and given me the ability to learn from my mistakes and move forward to become someone better each and every day. 

I have many favorite verses, but my favorite all around is Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 

What advice would you give a teen who wants to be a writer? 

Enjoy writing just like you would reading. Let your imagination run wild. Start with a character and a scene and let your story unfold as you write it. Always place yourself into the mind and heart of each and every one of your characters. Ask yourself how you would feel or react to the situation at hand if you had their life experiences and were in their place. Most of all, always have fun with it. You can't force a book. You have to dream it.

Katherine "Katie" Nelson doing a burpee on the four corners monument where four states come together in the west.
Do you know what the states are? Leave a comment in the comments section.

You can connect with Katherine on her web page or her 

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