Being a beautiful, rich
young widow has its drawbacks. Avoiding a murderer shouldn’t be one of them.
Elise Amberson’s
husbands always die before she can get the marriage momentum going. At least
this last one left her with lots of money. Now she can hang out with her dogs,
avoid men, and try to keep off God’s radar.
But her dogs are
behaving oddly, a pesky pastor can’t keep his hands off her soul, and God is
backing her into a corner. It’s all more than a
rich, beautiful young woman should have to bear. But when someone begins
targeting Elise, she’ll have to figure out why before she becomes the late
Widow Amberson.
Wow!! Welcome to the first book in the new series from Prism Book Group! It's "Hounded," by our guest author, Anita Klumpers! Be sure to leave a comment for Anita at the end of the interview for a chance to win a copy of this exciting story. Now let's get to know Anita a little better. Here we go!
Hi Anita! Welcome to The Diamond Mine!
When did you know you were going to be a writer?
I started creating stories when I was very young—always rambling
plots that never had a conclusion. (I still have not mastered the art of the
wrap-up. Or brevity.) In my wildest dreams, though, I never thought I would be
published. But wait! I remember I won a contest in 5th grade for a fine arts
festival, and the story was published in their mimeographed, stapled
newsletter. I called the story ‘Mandy,’ which at the time I was convinced was
the loveliest name in the world. And I had an essay published in 6th grade for
a contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution. It was a
patriotic essay which I no doubt sobbed over because I was quite emotional, and
I won a 1924 silver dollar. Whad’ya know? I’ve been published more than I
thought!
And you started pretty early, too! What’s the first story you remember writing?
An action-adventure story when I was about eight. I think the
heroine was a girl who liked to climb trees and read and was bullied by a mean
boy named Eli. I got about two pages written and asked my parents if I could
read it to them. They got suspicious when the tale went on for a good twenty
minutes. Yep. I was making it up as I went along.
That's a cute memory! So, who are your writing influences?
Mary Stewart and Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters. Josephine
Tey.
Interesting picks. I think I read all the Mary Stewart books in the local library and loved them! Do lots of people still go to the library? I hope so! One of my favorite places. (My Mom's a retired librarian.)
Anyway, how do you get your story ideas?
I’m supposed to have STORY ideas? Maybe that is my problem. I
start with a first line—literally—and see where it takes me. I haven’t a clue
as to what the story is about. But I sure have that first line clearly defined
in my head!
That is so cool! Do you work from an outline, or craft the story as you go?
(Well this was typical. I answered the question before you even
asked it.) If I had to outline a book I would never write, and take up
something relaxing. Knitting custom-made sweaters for cobras, maybe. And
‘craft’ is too generous a word. The story line and I slap each other around and
argue and backtrack and we both accuse each other of never looking at a map. My
husband has come in on me shouting at the computer numerous times, something
along the lines of “How on earth am I supposed to make THAT plot twist work
out?”
You're cracking me up! I thought I was the only one who argued story lines with my computer.
Now give us a few sentences about “Hounded.”
‘Hounded’ opens with the funeral of a wealthy, respected man,
survived by his emotionally distant family and his very young second wife.
Elise married him for his money—she’s pretty blunt about that—because after the
death of her first husband she decided marrying for love was no longer an option.
She inherits his two mixed-breed dogs, a lot of his money, his family’s
mistrust, the suspicions of the police and the threat that she might be the
next in line to die. Into her very messy life comes an old friend, now a
pastor, who wants to help her, emotionally and physically and spiritually.
Elise not only faces pressure from Russ, who has God on his side, but from an
unknown someone who for an unknown reason is trying to get her out of the way.
It sounds so intriguing!
Are the main characters anything like you or anyone you know?
No. Elise is feisty and speaks her mind, very unlike me. Not
everyone who reads ‘Hounded’ warms to her right away. Russ, her pastor friend,
is inspired in a small way by a co-worker from way back named Russ, a decent,
honorable man with a sense of humor.
What do you like best about your main characters?
Oh, I like that Elise is a chatterbox. Silence drives her crazy.
She is so human, and what others see as strength and sass is really a coping
mechanism for a life spinning out of control. She loves her dogs. Always a good
character trait.
And Russ is just a peach. His confidence comes from knowing he
isn’t perfect, but the God he serves is. I like that he doesn’t take anything
too seriously except what concerns his faith.
It will be fun to see them interact!
Since this is a “Love Is…” novella, and your theme is Love is
patient, how hard was it to create a story around that theme?
Pretty easy, actually. I wrote it in a month! So by expending
great amounts of impatience with everything (and everyone) around me, driven by
panic and realizing that without God’s patience we’d all be lost, I bulldozed
my way through and my characters (probably watching me anxiously over their
shoulders) cooperated.
Sounds like you were inspired! What are you working on now?
My first book, ‘Winter Watch’ was set in a fictional town called
Barley. I’m finishing up ‘A Barley Christmas’ with many of the same characters,
and then will resume ‘A Late Winter Poison’ that picks up in Barley a week
after ‘Winter Watch’ left off.
Well, this was a fun interview. Thanks, Anita!
Thanks for having me! Great questions!
Okay readers, here's a short excerpt from "Hounded":
The remote was nowhere.
Not by the television, in a nearby drawer or on top of the refrigerator. Seized
by an almost febrile need for televised entertainment, Elise tore through every
drawer and cupboard in search of the elusive remote, then tried to turn the TV
on without it. She couldn’t find a power button, much less a knob to change
channels. The glassy black screen reflected her own irritated image. And a face
leering over her shoulder.
Ooh, I love this! Really grabbed my attention! Here's a short bio on Anita:
Anita Klumpers, wife,
mom and grandma, homeschooled her three sons for seventeen years and emerged
relatively unscathed. Her life then and now is remarkable by its very
ordinariness. She’s been blessed with a husband who is good and hardworking, a
church that is small but gospel-driven, children who for every step back took
two forward.
With her youngest son
launched into college, she wondered what an unorganized procrastinator could do
to make the world a better place. Convinced that a bit of humor and a dose of
prudishness were a good place to begin she started to blog, first as ‘The Prude
Disapproves’ (http://theprudedisapproves.blogspot.com) and
now at ‘The Tuesday Prude.’ (http://thetuesdayprude.com)
She goes for coffee with friends frequently, writes skits and teaches drama
classes seasonally, cleans the top of her fridge occasionally and marvels at
God’s grace daily.
Anita’s first book, a
romantic suspense titled ‘Winter Watch’ was released in January 2014 and her
second, (let’s call it a suspense-romance for the sake of variety) ‘Hounded’
was released in e-book on February 5, 2016. Both are published through Prism
Book Group.
Currently at work on a
third novel, this one a romantically-tinged novel of suspense, she would
accomplish more if she spent less time admiring her small but oh-so-brilliant
grandsons.
Here are some links for her books:
http://www.amazon.com/Hounded-Anita-Klumpers-ebook/dp/B01ACFCNFC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455080613&sr=1-1&keywords=anita+klumpers
http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Watch-Anita-Klumpers-ebook/dp/B00HZ5R7WM/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455080613&sr=1-3&keywords=anita+klumpers
10 comments:
What a fun interview! I really enjoyed it!
I've read and enjoyed Winter Watch. Now I have started Hounded on my Kindle--can't wait until it's out in print! I'm happily surprised to hear about the Christmas book the author is working on!
Terrific and fun interview!! Thanks.
I adore Mary Stewart, too. Especially the Arthurian stories. :)
"Winter Watch" was so much fun to read. I'm excited to know there are more books coming from Barley!
Loved reading the interview :)
Congratulations! Hounded sounds like so much fun to read.
I am looking forward to reading Hounded!
Thanks ladies. And doesn't Nancy have a classy site?
BTW—'The Prude' is known in most places as Anita Klumpers
except by Google who thinks I should be known far and wide as
the Prude.
Love the interview. Read Hounded in one sitting (all day) as I could not put it down.
This interview is so much like the woman I came to know and love during much of those seventeen years of homeschooling! Thoughtful, funny, and God-honoring - yep! That's my dear friend. Not having a Kindle, I am excitedly awaiting the printed copy of "Hounded" and am thrilled to be going back to Barley in the very near future.
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