Monday, August 4, 2014

Interview with Nancy Kimball and giveaway Chasing the Lion audiobook

Welcome Nancy! What a thrill to have you as an honored guest. I first met Nancy Kimball when she and I were finalists in the 2012 Genesis contest for unpublished writers. She is an amazing writer and a terrific person.

Thank you for having me! I remember that well because the other historical finalist was my crit partner. Secretly I think we both needed you to win so we wouldn’t have the awkwardness if she or I had one, LOL, so we cheered you long and loud for your well-deserved win that year. And by the way, my debut novel was that same story. He looks good all grown up, doesn’t he? =)
 


We are so happy to have you here this week, and that you have agreed to share a bit about yourself. I know we’re all going to enjoy getting to know you and your work better.

Q: First of all, granola with chocolate chips, celery sticks with organic peanut butter, or a decadent mocha frappe with New York style cheesecake?   ;)
How is pizza not among my choices? Where is the pizza, Kathleen? #highmaintenanceguest

Q: What causes are you passionate about, and how do they find their way into your writing?
Watch me keep being difficult, LOL, but for me it’s an attitude rather than a cause. I believe, and have personally experienced over and over, that no life is too messed up and broken to be used by 
God, and that no person is too far gone for the Lord to redeem. I think 
Christians have no trouble believing this, until we’re required to translate that belief into practical application, especially for ourselves. I already knew this in my own life, which I’d wrecked fairly well prior to writing this novel. However, I hadn’t realized how fully that truth for me had translated into my hero’s journey until we reached the end together. It was at that point we renamed the series “The Sword of Redemption” (from Forges of Faith). The same way our hero’s sword brought redemption to many throughout the story, it was the same way God through the sword of His word and the Spirit (Eph. 6:17, Heb. 4:12 ) brought redemption to my hero, and to me in my own life.
  
Q: If you could sit down and interview any person, fictitious or real from any time, who would that be and what is the first question you would ask?
Prince Jonathan, from the Bible, and my first question would be how did he remain faithful to God and loyal to two men he loved that were enemies for most of his life.

Q: Which parts of your heroine or hero are you, or do you aspire to be?
I am all the characters in Chasing the Lion. From the bravest of heroes like Jonathan and the deepest of faith Christ-followers like Nessa to the vilest of villains. (Caius Pullus & Valentina Florus anyone?) It was a great question, Kathleen, but I’ve found for me I have to continue to be as honest with myself as I am with my readers and it means owning I’m the villains just as much as the heroes and heroines. Like when a prism is held to the light, the refraction allows you to see all the colors individually that make the light. I’m the prism and the characters in this novel are my colors. Every last one of them.

Q: Tell us about your writing journey and how you came to the indie decision.
Chasing the Lion was my first NaNoWriMo project. The next two years were spent learning the craft of fiction and making it a publication ready novel instead of a beginner manuscript. After countless revisions and rewrites, I sold Chasing the Lion to a small press in 2013. Later that year the publisher and I chose to part ways because of contract issues and differing expectations of each other. For the first time I began to seriously consider self-publishing. I met Indie author Nicole Deese (a God thing) and after a lot of prayer and reflection, made the decision to self-publish in January of this year. For more on the how and the why I went Indie, see this post at Writers on the Storm.

Q:  What message do you hope your readers will take away from your debut? And can you hint at any works to come?
You have a choice with what to do with your suffering. This is driven home in a letter in the final chapter that is very special to me, and explained in the acknowledgements. As for my work in progress, it is the sequel of course!



In their quest to defend Rome and protect all they hold dear, our heroes will again be tested. Old enemies return, alliances are tested and a new threat greater than any they’ve faced is coming. Charging the Darkness (Spring 2015).


Q: Do you have a question you would like our blog readers to answer?
Yes! For the authors, I want to know if you write or edit to music like I do. And for readers, have you tried audiobooks yet? Why or why not? And I would LOVE to giveaway a copy of the recently released audiobook of Chasing the Lion. Trust me. I have one of the most amazing narrators the world has ever heard! (That was a God-thing too.)

***Listen to an excerpt from the audiobook here

Author, avid reader, and shameless hero addict, Nancy Kimball loves books, Ancient Rome, and all things gladiator. She makes her home in Houston, Texas with one very spoiled pitbull mix named Eric T. and still doesn’t understand the point of white crayons. Learn more and read the incredible story “Finding Jonathan” at her official website and connect with her on Facebook

20 comments:

  1. Hi Kathleen and Nancy,

    I love stories set back in Biblical times and Nancy's book sounds wonderful - I saved it to my wish list on Amazon last evening. I started a blog in January of this year because I have always had a desire to write, but have found this summer has been a challenge to keep up with writing content to post to it. I have tried audiobooks and love to listen to them when I am in my car driving or doing other things where I can listen while working on something! I love audio books and I would be honored to win this one. Thank you for the giveaway and thank you for writing Christian books! And I have always wondered why there is a white crayon or colored pencil when it never shows up! lol
    May God continue to bless your writing and thank you Kathleen for featuring Christian authors!
    Blessings,
    Lori

    triplel(at)evertek(dot)net

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    1. Lorlyn, please to meet you and I understand about challenges. Glad you're persevering through them! I am new to the audiobook scene, having only ever listened to one several years ago before production of my own. I'm becoming a fan of them now, for sure, and more aware of the difference a quality narrator makes. I was very blessed in that regard. VERY. Thank you for the blessing, and I laughed because as a little girl I took the white crayon to my mothers in tears and told her "it was broken" because it wasn't showing up on my white paper. It became a thing... ;-)

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  2. I'm an avid audiobook listener! luv the freedom of being immersed in story while flying or driving or even doing housework =) Thinking it's a hangover from childhood -loving those story reading times!
    faithhopecherrytea at [gmail.] com
    many thanks for the offer - I enjoyed the sample taster!

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    1. I think you're right! I absolutely LOVE to be read to. Ever since I was a little girl. So when it came time to produce the audiobook, and every chapter was not just grown up storytime but grown up storytime with my own story, it was a highlight of my life to hear it come alive in this way. So glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Picking just one was SO HARD because my book has four main characters and about two dozen minor characters (and yes, they all have distinct voices) and there were so many great moments that were like watching the movie with my eyes closed. Which is what adult storytime should be, right? =)

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  3. Lori and Faith, Hope and Cherrytea, thanks so much for coming by and visiting with Nancy and me today. Summer time offers so many great opportunities to enjoy a good audiobook like this one--driving to vacation, or lounging by the pool. Good luck to both of you on the giveaway.

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  4. Hi,
    I am a huge fan of Biblical history. This looks great! Great interview and thanks for the giveaway.
    andinewberry@yahoo.com

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    1. Andie, thank you! If you have not already checked out novelist and speaker Cliff Graham, he has written some of the best Biblical Fiction I have ever read. His Lion of War series inspired by King David and his Mighty Men is fantastic. The Day of War (book one) movie will be releasing in the next year or two. =)

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  5. Kathleen, thank you for having Nancy on your blog. I've read Chasing the Lion and it's one of my favorite reads this summer. She did an amazing job of writing this wonderful story of redemption and forgiveness. No need to enter me in the drawing. I have a copy of the audiobook. I just wanted to drop by to say 'Hi' and support my friend, Nancy. :)

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    1. Angi, it is such a privilege to have Nancy here this week, as well as her loyal friends! Chasing the Lion is at the top of my TBR pile. Thanks so much for coming by.

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    2. Angi is the kind of reader a novelist prays to one day have, and then be blessed to call friend. She is a huge advocate and supporter of not just my work, but many Christian fiction authors. Thank you for stopping by, my friend. =)

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  6. As the other Genesis finalist and crit partner, I know Chasing the Lion is great! I have the audiobook of Jan Karon's At Home in Mitford with Dean Jones as Father Tim. Very cool. And yes, I sometimes listen to WWII music or the soundtrack of Memphis Belle while I write.

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    1. Hi, Terri! I am honored you dropped by. I look forward to hosting your debut one of these days, if you would be so kind as to be my honored guest.
      I'd have to say my favorite writing music is Pandora radio--I know, vague. :) More specifically, anything instrumental. like Phil Keaggy's the Wind and the Wheat. I find songs with lyrics can either work for or against me--inspiring or distracting. :)

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    2. Terri, thank you so much for dropping in! I can see you in your writer cave listening to the Memphis Belle soundtrack. Kathleen, Terri lives, eats, breathes, and knows WWII aviation like I know gladiator history. Pandora I hear great things about but haven't tried it. I need instrumental to draft, but can handle lyrics when I'm editing. =)

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  7. Hi, Nancy! Hi, Kathleen! Love this interview.

    I second the pizza vote. ;)

    The only music I've been able to listen to and not be distracted by is Beegie Adair. Unfortunately, the style doesn't match my genre. :) But it's a great noise blocker.

    Would love to be entered for the audiobook!

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  8. Pizza is the best. =) Kathleen gave me some great questions and I'm so thankful to have been here. It's okay to mismatch your music and your genre. Pretty sure I wouldn't be able to explain Lacrae and Tedashii to the Romans haha. Thanks for stopping by, Natalie.

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  9. Pizza. . . LOL Here I thought a gladiatoress only ate health food like granola and seaweed. :)

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  10. Congratulations to Lori~
    Random.org selected you as our winner for Nancy's audiobook. I am so grateful for each of you who visited this week. Thank you, and big thanks once again to Nancy for her time and terrific interview, and especially offering her book to our lucky winner. Blessings to you in all that you do for Him!
    Kathy

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