Welcome to Readers Write to Know! I asked you, my readers, what questions they would ask their favorite authors if given the chance, and the authors visiting my blog answered them! This week, I am so pleased to have June Foster as my guest. I very much enjoyed reading about her writing style and I am so intrigued by the plot of her book Dreams Deferred – and LOVE that it was inspired by the love story of her great-grandparents! June is giving away a copy of the book, so read on to see how you can enter to win!
Tell us a little bit about yourself. June Foster is an award-winning author who began her writing career in an RV roaming around the USA with her husband, Joe. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next contemporary romance or romantic suspense. June’s characters find themselves in precarious circumstances where only God can offer redemption and ultimately freedom. To date June has seen publication of 19 novels and 1 devotional.
Tell us about your current release. Frances Matthew Hall is obedient to family tradition: all firstborn sons will serve as a priest. Now Matt officiates at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas. But when on Easter Sunday, he notices a beautiful young woman who takes his breath away, he must fight against his attraction to her or leave the priesthood and alienate his entire family.
Mary Louise Graham is a middle school teacher and devout catholic. Yet no amount of service to the community can ease the heavy load of guilt she carries. God can never forgive her unspeakable mistake. But when Father Matt tells her about a forgiving God through His son Jesus Christ, she’s free. Only thing, the Godly priest now means more to her than he should.
Dreams Deferred is inspired by the author’s great grandfather and great grandmother’s story.
If you knew ahead of time your book would benefit only one person on their spiritual journey, would you still write it? Most definitely. This is my purpose in penning fictional works. My hope is readers will identify with the characters in the story and find freedom in the Lord. If it’s only one, than I’ve served the Lord.
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Do you feel pressured to compromise your standards in order to reach a larger audience or be more successful? The issue has arisen in my writing journey, however, I feel God has placed these stories on my heart and in my mind, and I don’t have the option of deviating from them.
What do you think is lacking in Christian Fiction? When I first began writing, I was told by editors and agents that my work was too “preachy.” I considered toning down the spiritual aspect of my writing and couldn’t. I believe that Christian fiction writers should follow the Lord instead of the market in penning novels.
With all those characters in your head screaming to get out how do you write fast enough to get it all down? I’m a plotter rather than a panster so I generally have a scene by scene synopsis written down before I even start the novel. However, as I write each scene, my characters sometimes tell me to go in a different direction than I’d orginally planned. I’m always open to change and new ideas.
What is your personal, most effective way to get past writer’s block? This almost sounds too simple, but if I write a G (goal), M (motivation), C (conflict) chart on each character, ideas tend to flow.
What inspired you to start writing, or did you always want to write? Unlike most authors, I began writing at an older age. In fact, I was a retired teacher and a grandmother. One day I noticed a story in my head and happen to tell my daughter the entire story. She said she thought I should write it, and that was the spark I needed. I wrote that novel and eighteen others to date plus one devotional. I have no doubt God orchestrated the venture!
What is your preferred method of writing? If I didn’t have my computer, I probably wouldn’t write!
Find June online at:
https://www.facebook.com/authorjunefoster/
https://www.pinterest.com/junefoster/
June is giving away an ebook copy of Dreams Deferred to a lucky reader! See below how to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway
13 comments
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Thank you so much for the inside scoop!
Sounds like a great book!! Another new to me author, too!
Hi Trudy, thanks so much for stopping by Hallee’s blog. This book was difficult but at the same time so interesting to write. Stop by my blog at junefoster.com to see my other titles.
Paula, thanks for stopping by Hallee’s blog. hope you get to read and enjoy Dreams Deferred. It was challenging but fun to write. The young woman on the front is actually my grand daughter.
Hallee, I so appreciate you featuring me on your blog today. Thank you.
Hallee, thank you so much for allowing me to share my new release with your readers. Blessings, June
I Loved the interview and I love June and her books! I especially know that I want to read this one, it sounds like a real page turner and I love the cover. Thank you so much for sharing this interview. God Bless you all.
This is definitely going on my TBR list!
Judy, I hope you enjoy the story. My great grandfather’s situation certainly provided plenty of opportunity for conflict in the story.
Alicia, thank you so much for the encouragement. I’d love you opinion of the story.
Another new-to-me author! I love it. The book sounds intriguing. Thanks Hallee and June for the great interview and the chance to win the book.
Sherri, thanks for stopping by Hallee’s blog. I hope you’ll check out my website for other titles I’ve written. junefoster.com I love to write stories where character’s overcome the challenges in their lives by God’s power and His word.
As the couple in question are ancestors, I think that he must have left the priesthood. That must have been a very difficult decision to have made.