Debut Author, Jill Chapman

Howdy! I’m out on my porch with a brand-spanking, new author, Jill Chapman! Her debut book is soon to hit the shelves! She and I have spent some wonderful time on each other’s porches (Yes, literally! On our porches!) chatting about life, challenges, and writing! So wedge your rocker a little closer. You won’t want to miss this interview!

PT: Hello, Jill! Fancy meeting you here, on the porch of the Diamond Mine! I know you are over-the-moon excited to see your first book in print. Oh, the hours we’ve chatted about our writing dreams and publishing goals. So, let’s get to the nuts and bolts for the readers. Tell everyone what genre  you write in and why? Then, give us a little information about yourself.

JC: My first book contract is for a middle-grade chapter book, The Bomb Squad. This work of action/adventure fiction takes readers on a wild ride with a group of small-town boys as they solve a mystery. I’ve also self-published a nonfiction book for newbie homeschoolers. Both books are the first in a series.

PT: Ah, yes! A middle-grade chapter book. So many readers look for quality Christian books in this genre. And for those of you interested in homeschooling, I’ll put that cover and link up right about here:

Click here for purchase link.

PT: All right. Everyone is always interested in how an author came to be, well, an author. So how did you come to this place of publication? Why did you choose middle-grade fiction?

JC: I’ve been a writer since middle school. Recently, I began writing in the hopes of being published. My head and heart overflows with adventure stories for children, and with books of encouragement for adults.

PT: Now, I think you told me there might be more than one book eventually. And is your non-fiction book also part of a series? So what is the names of your books/titles of your series?

JC: The Bomb Squad, a mystery middle-grade chapter book, is Book One of The Bomb Squad Series. The second book is entitled, Off the Grid.

10 Common Mistakes Newbie Homeschoolers Make and how to avoid them-First book in Homeschool Hustle Series for parents new to home education. In the works for this series is: Journaling with Children and Silent Partner.

PT: Let’s get back to The Bomb Squad. How did you come up with the concept of this book/series?

JC: As a youngster, I loved mysteries and action books. The idea for The Bomb Squad came to me one day as I thought about Fourth of July celebrations throughout my life then I threw in a mystery to the story. I decided to write a story about a group of adventurous boys inspired by boys from my life, past and present.

PT: Buckle down that rocker, girl. It’s time for my answer quick session. Ready? Go: country girl/city slicker? Pets/no pets? Coffee, tea/something else? Desk writer/wherever? Favorites: color? Book? Author? Food? Vacation spot?

JC: Country girl all the way. Indy is my yellow lab who flunked out of obedience school. Not once but twice! He’s a lovable goof ball. Hot tea is my go-to drink in the winter. Iced tea in the summer. I write on my laptop where and when the mood strikes me. Sometimes I’m in my art room and some days I’m in the dining room with the ceiling fan going. When I need the sunlight to keep me motivated, I’m in the kitchen at our island. My favorite color has been red all my life. I love to watercolor paint and find my paintings tend toward blue and green though. Tacos, nachos, and a Pepsi make my day. I love the beach but surprised myself when we took a trip to Alaska and fell in love with it. I mean, head over heels in love with the wild landscape and the people.

My favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve met some criticism for many reasons on this book but it speaks to me. I reread it almost every year. The courage and strong characters strengthens me deep down.

PT: What Bible verse is near and dear to your heart right now?

JC: This is a tough question to narrow down to one. I have so many that I lean on regularly.

Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. NIV

My writing isn’t new but seeking publication and becoming a professional at it is new. It seems like a wilderness to me at times because I have so many things to learn for this profession. Yet, God has already made a way and I know he’ll continue to lead me where I need to be. He continues to do new things in my life every year.

PT: Do your books reflect a timeless Bible concept/Bible verse?

JC: Wow! That’s another tough one. My desire for The Bomb Squad would be for youngsters to see loyalty in friendships, overcoming fear, to take challenges head on, and to learn to be a part of community. All of these things are some of what God desires from us. So that aspect would be what I hope children take away from my book.

PT: Why do you write?

JC: Writing is part of who I am. I’m a communicator and seek out ways to connect with people of all ages. Throughout my life, my writing takes on the form that I need at the time. Journaling, newsletters for the homeschool group, Sunday School lessons, Missionary Day programs, and now, writing for middle grade readers.

PT: What’s next on your book writing trail?

JC: I have an adult novel completed in rough draft. (very rough!) Another project in the building stage is a book for those struggling in their faith. The title of this project is Tell Yourself. I’m very excited about this project but it is still in the first stages.

PT: Tell 5 things about Jill Chapman that have nothing to do with writing.

JC:

1. My life centers around my family and my faith.

2. I love to eat chocolate, spicy foods, and visit with friends, not necessarily in that order.

3. In the past, my happy place was the beach but after our vacations to Alaska, I long to go back there again. (I still love the beach though! Alaska has beautiful coastlines but not like Florida)

4. I love to buy craft supplies and once in a while I actually use them. Painting with watercolors is also something I love to do. 

Isn't this awesome??!!

5. I would never wear shoes if I could get away with it.

BONUS!!! 6. I’m a huge advocate for those on the Autism Spectrum. Autism remains a challenge that many families face without being fully addressed and supported by communities. I would love to see more communities show support and offer services to those families who struggle. Awareness is wonderful but acceptance is key to their success in life.

PT: Oh, Jill, it’s been fabulous sitting on the porch chatting with you! I know our readers are thrilled to meet yet another new Christian author. We love our readers who continue to support Christian/Inspirational authors who fill the world with the Lord’s fiction to encourage, entertain, and comfort all of us on our life journeys. Thank you, Jill, for being with us this week!

JC: Thank you so much for having me!

If you want to connect with Jill and her exciting path of publication, you can find her at these links:

https://www.facebook.com/authorjillchapman

https://authorjillchapman.com/

https://www.instagram.com/author_jill_chapman/

The release date for The Bomb Squad is set for September 2021.

Jill is giving away her homeschool book, 10 Common Mistakes Newbie Homschoolers Make: and how to avoid them to one lucky person who leaves a comment and email (you can always leave your email on the contact form.) Thanks so much for joining us!

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Jill resides in Southern Indiana with her husband of forty-two years. They enjoy their country lifestyle and visit with their children and grandchildren as often as life allows. Her life centers around her family and her yellow lab, Indy. She enjoys being an avid movie watcher, loves Mexican cuisine and dabbles in watercolor painting.

Jill also hosts The Mighty Pen, an eclectic writer’s group for people in various stages of their writing endeavors.

Her interest in books began in my childhood, where 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. Her life is like a good plate of nachos, a tiny kick of spice, and a whole lotta cheese.

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Speaking of new releases, mine is coming out on June 1st! The Misfit Bride is the first of my newest Inspirational Historical Series, Society of Outcasts. Stay tuned for a cover reveal! Please don't miss any updates and sign up for my newsletter now! peggytrotter.com

A warm welcome to Heather Day Gilbert!!

This week we will be talking to Heather Day Gilbert. She is a fascinating woman I’m sure everyone will enjoy getting to know. She will be giving away a copy of her book Miranda Warning to the lucky person drawn from those who leave a comment.

Hi Heather! Welcome to the Mine. We are so happy to have you.

Thanks for having me today! Glad to visit.

Let us get acquainted. Could you tell us who you are, and what you hope to accomplish through your writing?

First of all, I'm a wife and mom (homeschooler). I think of myself as an author second, although it does take up a lot of my time at this stage! I'm a West Virginia gal who just moved back a couple years ago to my home state.

I feel my writing is one way of using my gifts and talents for God. I truly hope, above all, to bring stories to people that make them think, take them to a new locale (be it Greenland in AD 1000 or the back roads of West Virginia), and bring them characters they can relate to in some way.

Tell us a little about your genre and why you chose to write in that particular one.

I am actually writing in two genres now: Viking Historical (Vikings of the New World Saga) and Contemporary Appalachian Mystery (A Murder in the Mountains Series).

I chose Viking historical because the sagas are a rich source of information on a little-known period of history (I'm allegedly related to Eirik the Red, which fueled my interest), and in particular I wanted to highlight the Viking women who historically sailed to North America. Gudrid, the main character in my first novel, God's Daughter, was a Christian Viking. So I felt it was interesting to explore what it would be like to be a Christian in a very pagan society. Freydis, the main character in my second (upcoming) book, was Eirik the Red's daughter and was known as a warrior woman.

I also enjoy writing my contemporary mysteries (Miranda Warning is my first novel in that). My main sleuth, Tess Spencer, is a West Virginia "mountain mama," and I really enjoyed creating a strong family dynamic in this series. Actually, come to think of it, a strong family dynamic runs through both series.

I guess I will start off by asking how you come up with your characters. Do you imagine them and then create, or model them after someone you know or have seen, etc.?

For the Viking historicals, I had the rough outline of who these women were and what they did. I just had to fill in the blanks as to why they did things and what motivated them. Character depth is very important to me, especially since I write in first-person point of view. I have to be in the main characters' heads and try to understand them.

For  the mysteries, I do draw from my surroundings to some degree, since I live in West Virginia and so does Tess.

I love searching Pinterest for pictures of people who resemble my characters and for locations/settings so I can have visuals. You can find my Pinterest boards here.

I think all our characters are truest to life when they resemble people we know/have known or ourselves. Even when we're writing someone totally unfamiliar or distasteful to us, we know they still have things driving them we can relate to, be it power, protectiveness, etc. I think the key, especially for writing in first person, is finding those points where we can relate and drawing those characters true to form, even if we don't think that way ourselves.

Could you tell us a little about how you felt when you first realized you would be published?

Being published was actually my decision, because I self-published. The decision to self-publish was not a light one (like most of the indie authors I know). I had three agents and had submitted three books via traditional publishing routes. God just showed me the time was right to self-publish. It was something I hadn't really wanted to do, because I knew I couldn't afford to outsource a lot (formatting, editing, cover art, marketing).

But God provided people in my life who were able to help me with those things and it was a learning process for me—one of those things where "teach a man to fish, feed him for life" held true. I learned hands-on how to publish my books and it's not something I'll forget. It's also not a solitary process. My brother is my cover artist; my critique partner edits and is my audiobook narrator, and the list goes on.

What is a day in the life of Heather Day Gilbert like?

This summer, I have spent much of my time marketing and doing a blog tour for my mystery. When school season rolls around, I hope to set hours for writing and let marketing take a back seat to some degree. But I think indie authors do spend a lot of time tweaking our marketing, because it's up to us to get the word out on our books.

I do garden a little, too, though I'm no expert! Every year it seems we learn more about how to get those veggies to grow!

Tell us a little about who has given you inspiration in your writing, and why. I believe readers want to know the author to a certain extent. It makes the reading experience more enjoyable.

As far as believing in me, my family has always been a strong supporter of my writing. My parents, siblings, in-laws, husband, and children have all prayed for me on this writing journey and have shared all the ups and downs that come with it. When the first book released, we were all rejoicing!

Author friends also encourage me to keep going when I hit roadbumps. We uniquely understand that sinking feeling that results from a publisher rejection or a bad review. I love the support system of author friends I have met along the way.

I see that you homeschool. Could you tell us some of the trials and tribulations of that endeavor and how it affects your writing?

I think any homeschooler will say that some days it's great; some days it's extremely hard and you want to quit. Kind of like being a writer, actually! But in the end, you do it because you know that's what's right for that child. My son is in Christian school—that was the best choice for him right now. I homeschool my two daughters.

All my children are more independent learners now. I don't think I could've written and homeschooled when all three were toddlers. I believe there are seasons in an author's life, just like in a mother's life!

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer such as myself about the whole ‘waiting’ process?

Waiting. That's like my Achilles' heel. I like to push and GO and not get hung up in the process. But sometimes we have to wait, to get to that next step. For me, it was years of waiting and submitting and thinking God didn't care about my dreams.

But at the end of all that disappointment, I saw God had a BIGGER and better dream than I could even conceive of. I love being an independent author and I see now how this is the best fit for me. I love having control over everything from my production schedule to my audiobook narrator.

I’ve written many different manuscripts, but there is that one that kind of defines who I am as a writer. What have you written that sticks out in your mind as ‘the’ one?

Oh, wow. That's really hard. God's Daughter, my Viking historical, was probably my most ambitious book. I had many sub-themes and a lot to share in that one. It was my "mission statement," if you will. :) But Miranda Warning, my mystery, is just as much a part of me, and I feel the contemporary Appalachian writing is more reflective of my writer "voice."

Every one of my books is really like a child. I wouldn't ever want to settle and write something just to be trendy or formulaic. I write my heart.

What message, if any, do you want a reader to take away from your work?

I don't like preachy messages in books. I want my books to reach readers, whether the readers are Christians or not. I want readers to remember my characters and the choices they made (good and bad). I do tend to focus on marriage in my books—both the highs and lows—and I do hope readers relate to that.

I know from my own experiences that when writing, sometimes a character begins to become a ‘part’ of us. Have you written a character like this? If so, could you describe the personality of the character and why you think he/she/it stays in your mind so vividly?

Again, I do feel that way with all my main characters, because I have to get into their heads to write first-person. I also feel my side characters are real...I have to, to write them properly. I will say I am very fond of Nikki Jo Spencer as a side character in my mystery series. She's Tess' mother-in-law and you can read an interview with her here.

But sometimes you have to strip away the parts of yourself you'd rather hide to get into your main characters' heads. I'm doing that while writing Freydis' story (my second/final Viking historical, Forest Child). It can be a scary process (trust me, Freydis is something else!), but I want to bring my readers an experience they will never forget. I personally love conflicted characters, like Scarlett O'hara or Anna Karenina. People who seem so real you can never forget them. That's the kind of characters I strive to write. Readers might like them or dislike them, but I'm hoping they will never forget them.

Author Bio:

Heather Day Gilbert enjoys writing stories about authentic, believable marriages. Seventeen years of marriage to her sweet Yankee husband have given her some perspective, as well as eleven years spent homeschooling. Heather regularly posts on Novel Rocket about self-publishing.

You can find Heather at her website, Heather Day Gilbert—Author, and at her Facebook Author Page, as well as Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Goodreads. Her Viking novel, God's Daughter, is an Amazon bestseller. You can find it on Amazon and Audible.com. Her Appalachian mystery, Miranda Warning, is here on Amazon.