with Lorna Seilstad

Patterings

Welcome to Patterings, Lorna! I've started Making Waves, and I love it! (But at the moment, my daughter has it and she keeps laughing. You're keeping her totally engrossed and loving it!)
Tell us about your epiphany moment when you decided you were going to seriously pursue writing and eventually publication.
About three years ago, I realized that God wanted me to take the passion He’d placed within me for writing onto a new level. I’d been writing fan fiction on a wonderful site for several years, but I felt a tug that it was time to work toward publication.

My prayers mirrored Moses’. “What if I can’t do this? What if no one wants to read it? What if I fail?” and I felt God’s answers just as surely. He even sent me dear friends as backup. Finally, I had to come to a point where I said I didn’t care if I never became a published author, I was going to write because that was what God wanted me to do. I developed a new mantra of “God’s words. God’s will. God’s timing.”

I love that mantra, Lorna! Which of your books (published or upcoming) has been the most fun for you to write and which character is your favorite?
I like something about each of them. They are like my kids. I can’t pick a favorite, but since I just finished book 2 in the series, A Great Catch, it is fresh in my mind. It was a lot of fun to write. The heroine, Emily from book 1, is a klutz, and she has these two aunts that are just a hoot.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
My most difficult obstacle is probably doing the immediate and not the important. With three kids, there are a lot of immediate concerns like doctor’s visits, school things, etc. Sometimes I push my writing aside because I still have time to do that later. I try to schedule those things in the morning, but I have to admit it’s a good thing that I work well under pressure.

Which character in your new release most interested you while you wrote?
Although I love Marguerite’s spirit and Trip’s dimples, I think the character that surprised me most was Lilly, Marguerite’s personal maid. Her dry wit was just delightful and I’m so glad she gets her own book. She’s the star of the yet unnamed book 3. She will meet potential love interest, Nick Perrin, a roller coaster designer/engineer, and they will be in for the ride of their lives.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?
I don’t know if this was the quirkiest, but this is at least unusual. I went to a small Christian college in a small town. There wasn’t a lot to do, so we’d go “ghosting.” In other words, we went to abandoned houses and scared one another. One of our favorite haunts was a huge empty mansion, formerly an I.O.O.F. home (International Order of Oddfellows). This place was straight out of a horror movie with a tree lined sidewalk over a block long leading to the front door. That night, one of our group insisted on walking around the whole mansion. When we got up close, a group of people ran at us from the trees and grabbed us. Of course, we’d been set up. It was one of the best scares of my life.

LoL, that's good! That would've been funny to see! ;-) Are there things you put off doing because you dread them?
Oh yes! I dread phone calls for business purposes (not writing ones), and I dread taking things back to a store. I always feel guilty like I’m messing up their sales or something. And I dread housework sometimes. It’s so never-ending.

What would a perfect day for you look like?
My husband would wake me up with a kiss (after he’d brushed his teeth of course) and present me with a breakfast tray. Then, the kids would get ready for school without me having to address any issues whatsoever. The maid would arrive by 9:00 and just smile at the dishes in the sink, and my son would call from college and say, “Guess what? They gave me a full tuition scholarship!”

You did say a perfect day, right? In reality, the best I could hope for is an uninterrupted day of writing, followed by dinner with my family –preferably out so I wouldn’t have to do dishes.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I read everything—science fiction, Shakespeare, non-fiction, and of course, a lot of inspirational in every genre. For me, the key is not the genre, it’s the story. If the plot is well done and the main character is someone I can root for, I can enjoy the work. Right now, I’m reading Sarah Sundin’s A Memory Between Us and W.Dale Cramer’s Levi’s Will. I always have one book in my bedroom and one in my van.

Are there certain foods or snacks keeps the words flowing for you?
There shouldn’t be. I tried making a rule for myself about not eating at the computer, but I sometimes fail. I love chocolate, so I usually keep it some form in my desk drawer. Dark chocolate M&M’s are the candy of choice right now.

Are there spiritual themes you like to write about?
Faith is a big part of my books. I feel like my audience is mostly made of believers, and my goal is to minister to them. Even though my books are historical, that doesn’t mean the basic nature of people has changed over the years. Women back then struggled with lying for their own gain, with lives that are too busy, and with trusting God in all things. I hope my books show characters growing through these spiritual struggles in a real way.

What lesson is the Lord teaching you right now or recently taught you?
Right now, I think He’s teaching me that He is the source of all things—including any creativity He has blessed me with—and putting my time first with Him is vital. I remember hearing that a good Bible teacher teaches from the overflow of her cup. I think the same goes for Christian writers. I need to make sure my cup is full.

When is your next book due out and can you tell us about it?
A Great Catch will be released in June. Here’s what I submitted as potential back cover copy.
If a never-grow-up baseball player strikes out with a spunky suffragette,
Independence Day may take on a whole new meaning.

When twenty-two year old Emily Graham’s meddlesome aunts and grandmother take it
upon themselves to find her a husband among the Lake Manawa resort guests, the
spunky, slightly clumsy suffragette is determined to politely decline each and every suitor.
Busy working in the suffrage movement, she has neither the time nor the need for a man in
her life. The “cause” God has called her to is much too important.

Carter Stockton, a recent college graduate and a pitcher for the Manawa Owls, intends to
enjoy every minute of the summer at Lake Manawa before he is forced into the straight-
laced, dawn-to-dusk business world of his stern father.  He has no plans for romance until
Emily crashes into his life at a roller skating rink.

When subterfuge and distrust interfere with their budding romance, will the pitcher strike
out completely? Or will the suffragette find strength in her faith and cast her vote for a love
that might costs her dreams?

Lorna is giving away a copy of Making Waves. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment by Sept. 20th and check back on Tuesday, Sept. 21st to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on this post and once on tomorrow's interview with Lorna. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment, otherwise, you can just check back and email me through the button in my sidebar.
**Annoying little disclaimer: This giveaway is open only to U.S. addresses. By clicking on the Amazon link above or in the sidebar, and purchasing, I will receive a very small percentage of the sale.

Lorna is also giving away a special Making Waves Gift Basket in a drawing to one person who is signed up for her newsletter before Sept.30th. You can sign up on her website at www.lornaseilstad.com.

Don't forget the other giveaway still going on with Sarah Sundin. Here's Sarah's spotlight and her interview.

17 comments:

  1. Great interview. I've never read any of Lorna's books but look forward to reading this one and I will be looking for her others. Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy.

    homesteading[at]charter[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really enjoyed the interview. The book sounds great. I have not heard of Lorna's books but I would love to win this one and get HOOKED!
    Thanks for the chance!

    dleathers36(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd love to win and read!
    Ann_Lee_Miller@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like a fun book.
    wsmarple/at/gmail/dot/com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm baaaaaccckkk- wanna enter again. This sounds like a good one :D

    ReplyDelete
  6. Making Waves sound like a romantic comedy, I can't wait to read it.
    worthy2bpraised[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi all!

    I wanted to write a book that made readers laugh and cry. I like books (and shows) that do both. I hope you'll all enjoy Making Waves! It's been so much fun to write.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Enjoyed the two day interview. Would appreciate being entered in the drawing since I would love to read this book. Thank you!

    cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I would love to read Lorna's book.

    julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would love to read Lorna's book.

    julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi all,

    I forgot to add that I'm also giving away a special Making Waves Gift Basket in a drawing to one person who is signed up for my newsletter before Sept.30. You can sign up on my website at www.lornaseilstad.com.

    Thank you all for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous6:48 PM

    Great Interview.
    I would love to win this book.
    Thank you for the chance.
    Wendy
    wdesirees@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I enjoyed your interview, Lorna, and look forward to reading Making Waves. Your publisher did a wonderful job on the cover . . . I mean, who could resist?!

    I also went to a small Christian college and loved your "ghosting" story. We used to put on a haunted house for local teens and finally had to quit because we were having a ball, but scaring the kids to death. We also used an abandoned house that was very realistic.

    I hope you're enjoying Dale's book, Levi's Will. Dale goes to my church and is a great guy. I think he is gifted with words and creating visual images and emotions. He has a new Amish series coming out next spring and I got to read the first manuscript.

    Thank you for the chance to win Making Waves.

    cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

    ReplyDelete
  14. a wonderful posting...thanks for the chance to read this fabulous novel :)

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Please don't enter me in the drawing - I already have the book. I just have to say how very much I'm enjoying it. Yes, it's a romantic comedy - but so much more. Lorna - you've done a fantastic job in bringing these characters to life
    Patty - I'm waiting until I'm done to show it to my daughter, selfish mom that I am. It's too funny. Must finish.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'd like to read this new-to-me author...Making Waves sounds like a fun read. I enjoyed Lorna's interview very much. Please enter me in your giveaway. Thank you!

    Blessings,
    Sandee61

    Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous1:21 PM

    I would love to read this book.....sounds very interesting!
    Please enter me. Thanks!!!
    jackie.smithATdishmailDOTnet

    ReplyDelete

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