Join me in welcoming Christy award-winning author, Katie Powner to the Diamond mine! Katie is an auto-buy author for me. If you haven’t had the chance to enjoy “The Sowing Season,” "Flicker of Light," "Where the Blue Sky Begins" or “The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass” yet, definitely treat yourself. Katie's newest book, "When the Road Comes Around" just released and I can't wait to read it, and hear what she has to share about it. Without further ado, here’s Karin!
Welcome Katie! First let’s learn a little bit about you. Can you share a few things about yourself that have nothing to do with writing?
Wait, I thought everything had to do with writing?! Ha. Let’s see, I’m a mom to the third power: biological, adoptive, and foster. I collect red shoes, and I have ten chickens and a bunny. I also like to sing.
I love "mom to the third power!" I also am an adoptive mom and know what a special place my daughter's foster mom has in my heart.What drew you to write?
I don’t ever remember a time when I didn’t want to write. It always just made sense to me that I was a writer.
I would have to agree :) What’s your writing process?
It certainly varies, but typically, I sit on an idea for at least a month. I poke it and prod it. I turn it upside down. Then I hand-write an outline to see if there’s really a full story there. If there is, then I type up a more detailed outline. At that point, it’s time to start drafting, which usually takes me about six months. Once I have a completed first draft, I send it to my early readers for feedback, incorporate their feedback, and revise. Once I have a completed second draft, I send it to my agent for feedback, incorporate her feedback, and revise. Hmm, maybe there’s a pattern here! Then, my agent and I decide what we want to do with the story.
I write out a paper outline in the brainstorming phase too!! How do you come up with your story ideas?
Story ideas are all around you. In the people you meet, the newspaper you read, the conversations you overhear, the interesting places you visit. I view it less as “coming up” with an idea and more as narrowing down all the options to find the right idea for the moment.
I love it! I feel the same way. We all loved “The Sowing Season,” “Flicker of Light,” “Where the Blue Sky Begins” and “The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass.” Tell us about your new release.
You’re so sweet, thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed my stories. My new release, When the Road Comes Around, is about a 24-year-old troublemaker named Tad who gets a job for the summer at Come Around Ranch in Montana. He’s determined to prove himself, but he can’t seem to catch a break. Meanwhile, the owners of the ranch, who have a differently-abled son named Sam, begin to wonder just how many chances they should give Tad. Especially when his presence at the ranch changes everything, including their relationship with Sam.
Ahhh!!! Can't wait to read it. (It's in my purse as we speak.) Are there certain themes explored in the story?
This story is all about grace. The grace we receive from God, the grace we extend to others, the grace we need to have extended to us.
Do you have any favorite characters in your books?
The animals are always my favorite characters! I love all my animal characters, but I might love Pearl the pig from The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass a little bit extra.
Pearl is my absolute favorite, too! What are you working on now?
I’m currently trying to finish up a new small-town, contemporary story where the whole story takes place over one day. I’ve never done anything like this before, and it’s been much more challenging than I anticipated.
That does sound challenging! I can't wait to hear more about it once you're finished. When you’re not writing, what do you enjoy doing?
Reading, of course! Also, going for walks and bike rides and hikes. I also spend a lot of time at the school watching my children’s sporting events, which is always fun. I’ve logged thousands of miles on the bleachers!
Thanks for joining us, Katie!
Check out Katie's newest book, "When the Road Comes Around."
In the small town of Grady, Montana, twenty-four-year-old Tad Bungley has a reputation for trouble. When he lands a job at Come Around Ranch, however, his life seems to take a positive turn. As he develops a soft spot for Sam, the ranch owner's disabled son, and a special bond with TJ, a rescue horse with a poor reputation of his own, Tad becomes determined not to bungle it up this time.
Forty-eight-year-old Anita Wilson is too young to feel so old, but rheumatoid arthritis limits her ability to work on the guest ranch she owns with her husband. It was a risk to hire Tad for the summer, but Anita is convinced he just needs a bit of encouragement to find his footing. What she doesn't anticipate is that Tad's presence at the ranch will change everything, including her relationship with her son. And when Tad finds himself in more of a mess than ever, he and Anita must learn when to hold on, when to let go, and what grace really means.
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