Interview with Debut Fiction Co-authors Denae Jones and Jennifer Thomas

Meet Denae Jones and Jennifer Thomas co-authors of But, Even Now, a split-time biblical and modern-day story. They are kind enough to offer a free copy of their book. If you'd like to win a the book, leave a comment with your name and email address by July 14. We must have your email address to be eligible.

I'm excited to interview both ladies and introduce them to you. 

Jennifer:

What genre do you enjoy reading most?

Historical fiction for sure! I love the feeling of going back in time and experiencing what life may have been like through the different characters' points of view.

Jennifer:
What is your favorite childhood book? 

Definitely King Bidgood's In The Bathtub by Audrey Wood... Check it out if you haven't read it! I guess you could say it would be historical fiction for a picture book. The last page will NEVER not make me laugh!!

Denae:
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Funny, I thought writing was a more recent dream of mine, but I found books with my writing in it from
all the way back to about third grade. Poetry, short stories, etc. Then in college, one of my professors asked us to make a list of our top 5 long-term dreams. Having a published book was on that list, but I had totally forgotten about it! I guess this is just what God wanted me to do. I started with having a couple of stories published in Chicken Soup books, then I created a line of greeting cards for people who had lost a child. About six years ago, I wrote for newspapers, which eventually developed into my devotion books. The latest is our novel, But, Even Now.  

Denae:

Do you have any upcoming projects, releases, or sales?

But, Even Now is our latest published book. The story goes between biblical times and modern day, and it's the first in this series. At the end of But, Even Now you can read the first two chapters of the sequel, titled The Two Martha’s. We are currently working on completing that and can’t wait to see how it ends!

Thanks for sharing a bit about you.

Denea:

Please share the book we are featuring here: 

But, Even Now  

Meet Trista, a woman whose present-day world has been falling apart for years. How can she stay close to God when insurmountable obstacles meet her time and time again? As advised by her counselor, she starts journaling, which inadvertently tells a heart-gripping story about an unexpected path to motherhood, love and loss, addiction, betrayal, and faith that will change future generations.

Meet Adinah, who lives in a world dominated by Roman oppression just as Jesus is being revealed as the Messiah. Being a barren wife in a culture where family lineage is everything, she questions God when she feels all but forgotten by Him. Ready to give up, she beholds firsthand how life-and faith-can change in an instant.

1,985 years ago, Adinah was there to witness a miracle. Today, that same miracle changes Trista's life. This historical/fiction novel will have you laughing and crying as it weaves together the intriguing stories of these two women who have one very important thing in common: Jesus.

(Available online most places books are sold.) Amazon

Denae, I know you delve into the Jewish religion in the historical fiction. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

But, Even Now is a time leap book that is historical/fiction. It was important to us that the historical part and the present-day part not only aligned with one another, but that they were as historically accurate as possible. We did quite a bit of research and conducted interviews to make sure the cultures described in the book were represented well.  

Jennifer:

Do you find yourself returning to a similar theme in your novels or do you have a new message with each release?

Honestly, we haven't had to choose a theme yet because God has clearly instructed us in our writing journey so far. It was clear to us that pornography addiction would be a part of our beloved Trista's journey in some way. This epidemic is stealing the innocence of children and harming marriages at an alarming rate in our world today. It was also clear that our two main characters would both be encouraged through their trials by words right out of Martha's mouth in the Bible. As for the theme of our sequel, The Two Marthas, we already knew what it was to be about before we finished the first. God is really in the lead with this series, and we are just hoping we get it right.

Jennifer:

Is there a certain Bible passage or verse that goes along with the theme of your book? 

Yes! So glad you asked! John 11:22...  Check it out and then read But, Even Now. :)

To finish our time together, each of you tell us a fun thing about you.

Denae:
What are the top three things on your bucket list?

One thing on my bucket list would be to travel to the Holy Land and then to parts of Europe. Another would be to go Sky Camping, where you camp in a hammock that is suspended over the side of a mountain. My top bucket list actually came true last year, and that was to see every member of my family baptized!

Jennifer:
If you could be any animal, which would it be?

I would probably pick to be one of my dogs, chickens, or ducks because of how much we spoil them!

If you'd like to win a copy of the book, leave a comment with your name and email address by July 14. We must have your email address to be eligible, and we need five comments from five readers.

Thanks for checking out The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction.