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 Jill Chapman, author of Seaside SOS!
Jill resides in
southern Indiana with her husband of forty-six years. They enjoy their country
lifestyle and visiting with their children and grandchildren. She is an avid
movie watcher, loves Mexican food, and paints watercolors. Most days, you’ll
find her in her studio working on her next adventure story or crafting new
projects.
Jill’s interest in
books began in childhood when reading provided a wonderful outlet for her wild
imagination. She loves to tell stories about her life experiences with humor
mixed in to convey the sense of adventure she feels every day. Jill says her life
is like a good plate of nachos, with a tiny kick of spice and a whole lotta
cheese.
Connect with Jill on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter)!
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?
Don’t hate me, but I’m not a coffee drinker. I love extra spicy chia tea, iced or hot. I’ve also began drinking green tea lately. It’s okay, but extra spicy chia tea in the morning is amazing.
Spicy chia tea is loved here! If you could order anything in the world to eat (we can dream, can't we?), what would it be?
Last year, while on vacation, we ate in a Bolivian restaurant in Fort Walton, Florida. It was amazing! We spoke with the owner. He was so passionate about feeding Americans his special dishes from his country. It was fun to see a young man excited about his culture. I expected the food to be spicy, but it had a delicate flavor. I’d eat from his restaurant again in a heartbeat!
That sounds awesome! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?
I arranged a room in our house to be my studio. Most days, I’m at my desk in the studio, researching and writing. When I struggle to put a sentence together, I can go to my art table and create something there.
What a wonderful space to create! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)
I would say my CONSTANT internal monologue. I may be in the room with you, but in my mind, I may be in the woods being chased by a bobcat!
This is the way. What inspired you to write Seaside SOS?
The Bomb Squad series revolves around the adventures of a boy named Bryan and his three friends. My girls loved to go to the beach when they were growing up, so I decided to have the boys solve a mystery on the beach. When they suspect sea turtle eggs are in danger, the boys must save them. Since sea turtles and ocean life can be so vulnerable, this was a way to have children see ways they can help with conservation.
Love that! What led you to write in this genre?
My desire is to create family-friendly stories filled with adventure for children. When I was teaching, some students longed for friendships but didn’t know how to be friends or develop friendships. Children learn from fictional stories in many ways, so I wrote a story about four boys navigating friendship and mysteries together. My stories have settled in middle grade, although I have plans to publish a YA mystery as well.
That's awesome! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?
Friendship with the element of loyalty is challenging for children today. I want to give children an example of how to be a good friend. My stories aren’t preachy, but they do contain Christian concepts and how the boys struggle with them at times.
It's so important! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)?
Holiday Havoc is the next adventure with the Bomb Squad. In this adventure, the boys must help prepare a Christmas float for a parade, solve a mystery of stolen presents for a children’s event, and help care for a new pet. All of this while navigating a blizzard.
Tell Yourself is another project very close to my heart. This testimony/journal book will include personal testimonies from my life while providing space for readers to journal about their own lives. It will encourage people to see how God works in our lives in extraordinary ways.
Those sound great! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?
There are so many verses that speak to me and have been favorites over the years. Philippians 4:11 has been my life verse for a long time now. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Life is a challenge for all of us at times. To walk faithfully, we must learn to be content in the knowledge that Jesus knows where we are, and he’ll take care of us. I’ve struggled with feeling out of place or out of touch. This verse helps me remember to be content in where God has me.
So true! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds -- mine! -- want to know. ;-)
A book way out of my comfort zone! City of End by Katelyn Pfeiffer is a futuristic fantasy about a young woman who must save her city from an evil that is waging a war on humanity. It’s been an exciting read so far, and I can’t wait to see how it ends.
That sounds exciting! Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Jill!
Check out Jill's books and a giveaway opportunity!
Books ~
Bryan and his three
friends hop on a plane to Florida for a fun-filled seaside vacation with their
families. The Squad arrives with high hopes for a thrilling time on the beach.
In typical Squad fashion, things don’t go as planned. Max runs away from his
dogsitter back home, Tim tells them he might leave the Squad, and the boys see
mysterious lights on the beach.
Before jumping
into the waves, the Squad meets a new friend beside a sea turtle’s nest near
their condo. Ava tells them her suspicions about egg pirates prowling the beach
at night. Together, they visit a Sea Turtle Rescue to learn more about the
dangers these creatures face in the ocean and on the beach. When they decide to
help Ava guard the nest, the Bomb Squad finds themselves in troubled waters
again!
Will Max be found
and brought home before he gets hurt? Is Tim really going to leave the Squad?
Can the boys join forces with their new friend to save the eggs?
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