Happy October to you all!
We're entering what I like to call the season of reading. Studies show that most books are purchased during these last few months of the year. As temperatures cool and nightfall arrives way too soon, we crave all that is cozy, which whets our appetite for escape and our favorite indoor activity - reading while drinking something warm and satisfying.
What better way to start this season than by getting to know a new author?
Today, we're joined by historical fiction author, Andrea Byrd. Not only has Andrea released two books with Wild Heart Books in the past few months, but she visits the Diamond Mine of Fiction blog from her home in rural Kentucky with her precious one-month old nestled in her arms.
That's quite an impressive thriple threat - celebrating two book birthdays along with the birth of her third child. Congratulations to you, Andrea, and thanks for taking the time to join us today. I'll jump right into our questions - recognizing that she is most likely sleep-deprived and her time is precious.
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| Andrea Byrd, Author |
First, meet Andrea. Andrea Byrd is a small-town wife and mom from southern Kentucky who harbors a deep love of days gone by, expressed with pioneer skirts and a once-in-a-lifetime ride in an authentic biplane. She seeks to respect the past, giving voice to those that came before, while reminding readers that no aspect of their past defines them. For more information, visit her Facebook page at:
Janet: Let's start at the beginning - what were your writing and reading habits as a child?
Andrea: I have always been an avid reader, voraciously reading a ride range of books all through school. Writing, however, was something that I despised until middle school. I had a teacher at that time that helped me discover my love of writing.
Janet: When did you first know you wanted to become a writer?
Andrea: I started writing in middle school and have written off and on ever since. For the longest time, though, it was kept as a hobby with a "one-day" dream of publishing a single book. I only decided to truly pursue writing and publishing as a career a couple of years ago.
Janet: How did you choose your genre? Has it always been historical romance?
Andrea: For quite some time, my preferred genre to read has been historical romance. I've always been fascinated with that simpler way of life. My mother even joked that I was born in the wrong time. I particularly enjoyed reading books that filled my love of learning as well by included real historical people, places, and events. When I started writing, I wrote contemporary romance because I was intimidated by the research involved with historical novels. But the more I read, the more inspired I became and I decided to take the leap into historical.
Janet: You've recently signed with Wild Heart Books and already released the first two books in your series. Describe your writing journey so far, and how has it changed with this publisher?
Andrea: My writing journey began in 2021 with self-published contemporary Christian romance novellas. In 2022, I decided to pursue historical Christian romance and found Wild Heart Books. The change from self-publishing to traditional publishing has been wonderful because the WHB team handles everything for me from cover design to editing and marketing.
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| Rescue in the Wilderness |
Janet: Do you know how your stories will end when you start them? Or are you as surprised as your readers?
Andrea: I used to be a total pantser, so there were definitely suprises. But after reading The Story Equation by Susan May Warren, I started doing more plotting andso I at least have a general idea of what will happen.
Janet: Are your characters based on real people?
Andrea: Yes. Though they may share nothing more than a name, the female characters of my Frontier Hearts series are inspired by my real-life ancestors who first settled in Kentucky.
Janet: Are your settings based on real places? If so, where?
Andrea: All of the settings are real! In Rescue In The Wilderness, the story follows the journey settlers would have taken along the Wilderness Road. All of the locations mentioned are real buildings or landmarks along the trail. And in Redemption In The Wilderness, the Forts and Stations are all real places that existed at the time. In fact, Martin's Station and Fort Harrod are both places that readers can still visit today. Then, the entire setting, located near the Green River in the Mammoth Cave area, is the real area in which my family settled and in which I live. The rich description of these hollers and hills comes from personal experience.
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| Redemption in the Wilderness |
Andrea: That is was possible. It seemed like such a far-fetched dream that I pursued a completely different path for my life. 10 years of my life went in another direction, only to come back to this same place of pursuing writing as a career.
Janet: When you're not writing, what do you do for fun?
Andrea: Spending time with my family. I enjoy cross-stitching, reading, and anything outdoors, especially walking and hiking.
Janet: What is the most satisfying part of writing?
Andrea: The reviews that show me I have truly made a connection with a reader.
Janet: What happens next?
Andrea: There will be two more books in the Frontier Hearts series. I am working on the third, Reverence In The Wilderness now, and the fourth will feature the sister from Redemption In The Wilderness as the main character. I am currently in the plotting and planning stages for it.
Janet Morris Grimes may not have realized she was a writer at the time, but her earliest childhood memories were spent creating fairy-tale stories of the father she never knew. That desire to connect with the mysterious man in a treasured photograph gave her a deep love for the endless possibilities of a healing and everlasting story. An unforgettable combination.
Find Janet on her website: http://janetmorrisgrimes.com/
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