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 I first met Nancy Kimball when she and I were finalists in the 2012 Genesis contest for unpublished writers.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.