Hi, guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ;-) And one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends at coffee shops then head to the bookstores. Yes, plural. After all, books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination! So consider this our virtual coffee shop. I'll wait a second for you to get your warm drink and a fuzzy blanket before we chat with today's guest. <3
Today we are going to pry into the private life of CHAT with Hope Bolinger, co-author of Finding Harmony!
Hope Bolinger is a Managing & Acquisitions Editor at End Game Press.
More than 1300 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer's Digest to Keyes for Kids to HOOKED to Crosswalk.com.
She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams.
Twenty-one of her books are under contract or out now with traditional publishers, and she hopes more of her stories will find a home soon. She has also contributed to ten other books.
Interview ~
This may be the most important question I ask -- no pressure or anything, LOL!
*drum roll*
What are you drinking in our virtual coffee house? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? Something else altogether?
Alas, I am allergic to coffee, so I will opt for tea. I do know some good teahouses in the Ohio area.
Love a good teahouse! If you could order anything in the world to eat (we can dream, can't we?), what would it be?
Baklava. Every time. It’s such a high-maintenance dessert to make, so if you have any, I’ll take some.
I wish I did because that sounds really good right now! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?
I’m not insanely picky, but I do like somewhere quiet. I am sadly not one of those coffee shop writers. I would get too distracted.
Quiet is always a plus! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)
I know way too many useless facts, and may spout them at random times. It earns me several odd looks for sure.
Haha! Love that! What inspired you to write Finding Harmony?
Alyssa Roat and I both are musicians, and we had experienced burnout from saying “yes” to too many things. We realized many people in their twenties struggle with the same ordeal. We’ve all been told that if we ever say “no” in an artistic endeavor, we’d get blacklisted from said arts industry. So we wanted to create two characters who play music, for a good cause, but struggle to play what they want. Or to give into the crowd. It was a really personal work for both of us.
That's so relatable! What led you to write in this genre?
It’s funny, because Alyssa and I wouldn’t have pegged ourselves as sweet romance gals a few years ago. We do enjoy romance, but had never thought about writing it. Then we wrote some YA romance together, and we wanted to challenge ourselves by trying on a new genre. We ended up falling in love (buh dum tssh) with it.
Love how you both challenged yourselves! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?
In Finding Harmony, we want to show that it’s okay to say no to the things that will lead to burnout, especially in artistic endeavors. We live in a society that doesn’t respect borders. So it’s fine to say no to excessive productivity, and take time to just enjoy things for what they are, not what monetary gain they can get you.
Absolutely LOVE this message! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)?
Absolutely! The third book in the Roseville Romances, Curtain Call, releases this November. If you love sweet, Christmas romances, this’ll be right up your alley. I also have a contemporary YA out next spring with End Game Press, A Country of Their Own. If you were a fan of the movie The Notebook, I have a feeling you’ll really like this book.
Ooo! I can't wait to read them! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?
I feel like it always changes based on my morning devotionals. I will say that lately I’ve really enjoyed the story of Joseph in Genesis. It’s crazy to think how much time he waited on the Lord, and how the Lord provided in such a big way. We live in a I-want-it-now culture, so the story of Joseph is reminding me about how sometimes good things take a long time to come, and that doesn’t make the Lord any less good or any less holy.
So true! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds -- mine! -- want to know. ;-)
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk. I’ve been on a middle grade binge lately, and I
love the idea of a Great Depression book set in the wilderness. It’s
beautifully written, too.
How fun!
Thank you for answering all of my prying questions, Hope!
Check out Hope's new release, Finding Harmony!
Liv says yes to everything, music lessons, extra shifts at She Brews, to the point where she can't seem to maintain her balance, literally and figuratively. Too bad jobs keep falling through and bills keep piling up.
Together they'll enter an indie songwriting competition, with a Grand Prize amount of $20,000, enough money to help Liv's dad recover and pay his hospital bills.
But winning the competition might mean losing themselves in the process. They'll have to find a way to strike harmony between writing songs they love and songs the audience actually wants to hear.
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