Humor always makes life a little more bearable. This week I have an author whose posts always strike a chord of humor for me and many others. Clarice G. James (website here!) is here to focus on her book The Least of These. Jump on in the interview and discover more about this witty lass and her books.
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PT: As always, our readers want to know what drew you to be an author?
CGJ: Over the
years, teachers, family, and friends often suggested I should do something with
my “gift.” After my children were grown-up and gone, I took their advice.
PT: Many readers are glad you did! So, what genre do
you write in, and what genre do you prefer to read in?
CGJ: I write
women’s contemporary fiction and read mostly in that genre. I do enjoy
historical fiction as well.
PT: Where is your
favorite spot to write? An office? Outside? Coffee shop? Other?
CGJ: No noisy
coffee shops for me. I need a quiet space to write, and I’m blessed to have a
spacious office. But, as with all writers, I’m always writing in my head no
matter where I am.
PT: I definitely agree with the quiet space. Have you
always lived in the northeast or have you lived in different places?
CGJ: I have lived
in the Northeast my whole life. Though I was born in Rhode Island, my family
moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts when I was a toddler. I lived there until I
moved to New Hampshire twenty years ago.
PT: I'll be honest, I always think of you with a splash of humor, since you're so gifted in putting up such amusing posts. Does your humor find its way into your books?
CGJ: I love to
laugh—alone and with others! So, yes, you will find humor in my stories.
PT: Do you ever
have a book inspiration in an inconvenient time or place such as in the middle
of the night or in the middle of the grocery aisle? Do you jot things on a
scrap of paper or napkin or use a phone or other electronic device to record
your ideas?
CGJ: I have to
write ideas down or I will forget them! To the right of my laptop now is a
“slush pile” of sticky notes, lists of character traits, snatches of dialogue,
and plot ideas for my current work in progress.
PT: I confess I have a bit of a sticky note obsession myself. Do you have a
Biblical principal or concept when you start to write, or does that slowly
develop as you progress through the writing process?
CGJ: Not always.
Sometimes the storyline gives me the Scripture passage as I’m writing.
PT: Do you
outline your books or fly by the seat of your pants?
CGJ: My style is
somewhere between the two. I start with a loose outline and character sketches,
but seat of the pants writing often takes over.
PT: Tell us your
current favorite Bible verse.
CGJ: “Whatever you
do, whether in word or dead, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17
PT: All right, let's have you spill the dirt. Tell 5 things
about Clarice G. James that have nothing to do with writing.
CGJ:
1. I’m not competitive. I don’t even
win when I play Scrabble by myself.
2. As a little girl I used to soak the
family toothbrushes in Lestoil.
3. If I ever invite you on a road trip, say “no.” I once got lost in a beach
parking lot.
4. Every day, I find reasons to
laugh—often at myself.
5. As a young Catholic girl, I once wet my pants in a confessional booth
—and didn’t confess
it. Yes, I’m Protestant now.
PT: What was the inspiration and setting for your book The Least of These.
CGJ: A friend of
mine suspected that the kind, generous physician she worked for was defrauding
the Medicare system. She needed to get away before she was implicated.
I wanted the
story set in a small town. Since my brother owned a vacation home in Andover,
Maine, I was able to stay at his place while the friendly locals helped with my
research.
PT: Oooh, juicy. Based on a true story? Intriguing. What's your next writing project?
CGJ: I am
two-thirds finished writing my novel, The Longing Soul. The main character,
Avalea Madigan, is a 53-year-old widow (twice over) who longs for God to lift
her grief and fill her life with new purpose … or with another husband … or
both. She and three friends meet weekly to learn how to better apply the Word
of God to their lives.
PT: Boom! Another riveting Christian author bringing the goods! Clean, Christian entertainment. If ya can't wait to get your sweaty paws on this book, go here: The Least of These and snap that puppy up! Or you can take your chances on our drawing. We need 5 people to comment or leave info on our contact form. And as always, thank you, Clarice, and thanks to all of you readers who stopped by!
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Clarice was raised on Cape
Cod, Massachusetts. She married early, and she and her husband were blessed
with two sons and a daughter. In her early thirties, Clarice
began a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. She says, “My life has not
been the same since—thankfully.”
While raising her family,
Clarice squeezed in a few English literature and creative writing courses. She
continued along that path, writing articles for local publications, marketing
copy for her employers, and newsletters for her church.When her husband Terry died,
she continued writing as part of her healing process. Eight years later, she
remarried and moved to southern New Hampshire. “David was a keeper,” she says,
“and all grown up when I got him.” Sadly, she was widowed again just shy of
fifteen years of marriage.
Clarice has written five
women’s contemporary novels. Her stories are woven together with colorful
threads of humor, faith, romance, and surprise. In 2022, she added Say
Grace: A Scriptural Field Guide to Weight Loss to her list of
published works.
Clarice says, “I credit my
father for showing me the power of dreams and my mother for teaching me the
value of working to achieve them.”
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