"...God is my inspiration and it seems natural to use the gift He’s given me to help draw people closer to Him."
AT: Where are you from? Where do you live now?
FS: I was born in Mound Bayou, MS, raised in Long Beach, CA and for the last year I’ve lived in Memphis, TN.
AT: Cool! Memphis is one of my favorite places! Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
FS: Yes, I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 10 years old. Unfortunately, I let doubts about making a living writing keep me from pursuing a career as an author until now.
AT: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
FS: I first started writing ‘When the Real Thing Comes Along’ in my early twenties (about a decade ago!) and I picked it back up a little over a year ago. The rewrites, revisions, and editing process was a doozy, but I made it through. Jacelynn, Taylor and Jason’s story would just call out to me, wanting to be finished and told with grace. So I finally gave in!
AT: Wow, that was a long journey with that book! How did you choose the genre you write in?
FS: I decided to write my first novel because I was tired of reading subpar Christian fiction. I would finish a book in that genre and think, “I could do so much better than that!” Yeah, I had an ego on me when I was younger, lol. I really wanted to create quality realistic faith based fiction. Life is messy, even when you have faith. Maybe even especially when you have faith. I want to portray that in my writing.
I also chose to write in this genre because God is my inspiration and it seems natural to use the gift He’s given me to help draw people closer to Him.
AT: I love it!! Where do you get your ideas?
FT: I get a lot of my ideas from current events, watching movies and simply observing life. It’s really true that the truth is often better than fiction!
AT: That's very true! Name one book that you would categorize as a life changing read.
FS: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. From the opening line, “What you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay,” until the last page, that book captivates me every time I read it. I’m also blessed to have received an autographed copy of the book from Dr. Angelou herself. It’s one of my prize possessions!
AT: Wow! I'm jealous!! So, who is your favorite author?
FS: I’ll give you two guesses, although you’ll probably only need one. Yep, my favorite author is Maya Angelou.
AT: Lol, not surprised at all. Please name one book you wish you’d written.
FS: Mmmhhh… that’s a difficult question. I’m not in the habit of coveting another writer’s style or work. So I can’t say that there’s a book that I wish I’d written. I will say that there’s a book that I love that I would like to emulate: ‘Little Women’ by Louisa May Alcott. It’s such a timeless story about family, loyalty and sisterhood. I’d love to one day write a book that people can relate to for centuries like that.
AT: I hear you! Tell us about your latest book.
FS: ‘When the Real Thing Comes Along’ is book about imperfect people who make mistakes and have regrets. It’s a realistic look at forgiveness and grace. If you’ve ever loved and lost, you’ll identify with the struggle to move on and thrive again. I’d like for readers to walk away understanding that being a person of faith doesn’t mean being perfect. I’d also like for them to have a better understanding of how deeply God loves his beautifully flawed children!
Blurb:
She loved and lost…Will faith give her the courage she needs to love again?
Jacelynn appears to have it all together: a great relationship with her boyfriend Jason who is truly a man after God’s own heart, a decent career and the love of family and friends. But when an unwelcome reminder from her past shows up, her previously uncomplicated world is turned upside down. Will she jeopardize what she has with Jason in an attempt to rewrite the mistakes of her past?
They say you never forget your first love, no matter how hard you try. So far, Jacelynn has done a pretty good job of forgetting Taylor, the boy who had her heart first. When Taylor returns several years later as a man requesting a second chance, what’s a girl to do…Especially when she already has a new man?
The hidden issues of Jacelynn’s heart come to light and she’s forced take a hard look in the mirror while making choices that will change her future forever. Will she be able to reconcile who she was then, with who she is in Christ now?
Living and loving in faith isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. That’s what happens…
When the Real Thing Comes Along
Excerpt:
My eyes were wide open the night I invited Taylor into my life. It was at the end of one of those parties that starts out with what seems like hundreds of people, but turns mellow before midnight. I was ready to go but my best friend, Kim, wasn’t. She was trying to finalize the hook up with a guy from her history class. Meanwhile, I was waiting on a ratty couch in the dark living room with a guy I knew I would never see again, wishing that I was at home watching Lifetime movies. That’s when I saw him.
He walked past me through the sliding glass doors into the backyard. Something about the gracefulness of his long strides, made me get up and follow him while the guy on the couch was still running his mouth.
The sound of Usher singing about how to tell if you got it bad muffled to a slow thumping bass as I closed the patio doors behind me. I waved away the sweet smell of weed as I stepped around a few people smoking and lounging on the mismatched patio furniture.
I trailed him across the large backyard where the only sound was the loud swishing of the dozen or so palm trees waltzing in the fall winds. Both of our steps were silent in the soft mushy grass. I felt strange following him without saying anything, but I wanted him to sense me behind him. I wanted to know if the crazy magnetism I was feeling was working on him too. But there was a different force drawing him that night. One that I would contend with at a later time, in another place, with a lot more to lose.
Buy via Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00SRRKTPY
AT: Sounds so good!! I'm adding it to my TBR list ASAP!! How can readers connect with you?
FS: Website: FaithSimone.com
Twitter: @Faithsimone2011
Facebook: Author Faith Simone
Goodreads: Faith Simone
AT: Awesome! What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
FS: Start now! Don’t wait until you feel good enough, or experienced enough or until the stars all align. If you want to be a writer then write. It’s that simple. Study the craft, learn all you can, but when it comes down to it put your butt in a chair and write.
Giveaway:
Faith is giving away Three (3) Amazon Gift Cards!
Click on the rafflecopter giveaway button to enter!
Thanks for having me Adrienne! I enjoyed answering all of your thoughtful questions. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome!!
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