How it all came together Hope Bolinger started writing novels at CVCA ( Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy ) her junior year, and attempted to break into the publishing industry by her senior year. She quickly learned how difficult it was to land a literary agent or a book deal and self-published her first novel Unmasked before she graduated CVCA. She left to pursue a professional writing degree at Taylor University where she published more than 300 works (short stories, articles, poems, etc.), but she still wanted to pursue her dream of getting a novel published. While sitting in a Gen-Ed Old Testament class, the professor commented on an ancient text from Babylon known as the Book of Daniel: “Daniel and his friends would’ve been 15 or 16 when they were taken into Babylon captivity to start their three year education.” Wow. That sounds like high school, Hope thought. And they stood strong, even when the King tried to kill them for not conforming. Thus, the idea for Blaze was born. She met with a publisher at the Maranatha Writer’s Conference and pitched the book she’d completed in summer of 2017. They reviewed it, sent back several edits, and eventually offered a deal. Blaze comes out June 2019, and is available for preorder until June 3rd. Endorsements: “Vivid. The perfect picture of the adolescent human condition that both entertains and empowers.” - A. R. Conti Fulwell, author of An Angel in the Distance Blaze peels back the curtains of our world’s desires, and reveals the beasts lurking behind. Packed with relevant topics and worldview, the book draws readers into a white-knuckle adventure where anything can happen—and anything can go wrong. Hope Bolinger delivers a fiery page-turner perfect for students and pyromaniacs, and shows what happens when we’re called into the lions’ den. - Caroline George, author of The Vestige "Hope Bolinger is a fresh new voice in compelling YA fiction that's not to be missed!" Bestselling Author, Michele Barrow-Belisle Back Cover If you can't stand the heat, don't walk into the fire. Danny knew his sophomore year would be stressful . . . but he didn’t expect his school to burn down on the first day. To make matters worse (and they were about to get a lot worse), he — and his three best friends — receive an email in their inboxes from the principal of their rival, King’s Academy, offering full-rides to attend the town's prestigious boarding school. Danny wants nothing to do with King’s Academy and says no. Of course his mother says yes. So off he goes to be bullied and picked on for not being part of the popular and rich "in crowd." From day one at King’s, Danny encounters hazing, mocking insults from girls at the "popular and pretty" table, and cafeteria food that, for such a prestigious school, tastes as if it were purchased from a military surplus supply warehouse. If he survives, Danny will have to overcome his fears of failure, rejection, and loneliness—all while standing strong in his beliefs and walking into the fire. Author Bio: Hope Bolinger is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E. ( Cyle Young Literary Elite ) and a recent graduate of Taylor University's professional writing program. More than 300 of her works have been featured in various publications ranging from Writer's Digest to Keys for Kids. She has worked for various publishing companies, magazines, newspapers, and literary agencies and has edited the work of authors such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Michelle Medlock Adams. Her column "Hope's Hacks," tips and tricks to avoid writer's block, reaches 2,700+ readers weekly and is featured monthly on Cyle Young's blog, which receives 63,000+ monthly hits. She is excited for her modern-day Daniel "Blaze" to come out with IlluminateYA (an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). She enjoys all things theater, cats, and fire. Preorder Link: https://www.amazon.com/Blaze-Hope-Bolinger-ebook/dp/B07Q44JDNQ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=hope+bolinger+blaze&qid=1554054306&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull Release Date: 6/3/2019 Contact Info: Facebook: @therosewoman Twitter: @hopebolinger Instagram: @hopebolinger Website: hopebolinger.com Blaze is available for preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/Blaze-Hope-Bolinger-ebook/dp/B07Q44JDNQ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=blaze+hope+bolinger&qid=1554160236&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull Blaze Extras Pinterest Board: https://www.pinterest.com/hopebolinger/den-novel/ Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4kXdjZSHqf09ooHU10dMjf Webpage and game: https://www.hopebolinger.com/blaze Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVZAs5S2OXk Amazon Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Blaze-Hope-Bolinger-ebook/dp/B07Q44JDNQ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=hope+bolinger+blaze&qid=1554390640&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull Hope talks about Blaze:
One usually wouldn’t think that the Book of Daniel could fit into a high school. I didn’t, until a revelation hit me in the middle of an Old Testament class, my freshmen year of college. Daniel, and his friends, mere teenagers at the time, had been stolen from Israel and taken into Babylonian captivity. There, they entered a three-year education where the King and his men attempted to stamp out any semblance of their prior culture. But they stood strong anyway, and still managed to excel in everything they did. Sounded like American high school. I decided to take the idea and run with it. Blaze, a boarding school drama meets arson, comes directly from Daniel 1-3. The captivity all the way up to the fiery furnace. Hope talks about a Tough Time in My Life: Having recently graduated from college, I have entered a state of limbo. I applied to 120 jobs and only, in the past two days, heard back that one had interest. My parents had both split last year, and each is already married to another significant other or will be by the tenth of this month. I thought I’d meet the man God had called to be my husband in college, but after going on dates with dozens at Taylor University, and seriously dating a few, I have no prospects in that arena for the time being. There’s a lot of limbo and waiting, but through it all, I’ve seen God. Even in the pain of the divorce, I’ve met some wonderful new family members. Even in the frustration of the job search, I had more time to spend with folks I hadn’t seen because I was in Indiana for four years. God’s taught me patience during this limbo period. He’s taught me to wait on Him, and I can’t wait to see how He’s been working behind the scenes. Hope's Encouragement for Writers Although writers may not be waiting for their significant other (maybe mine forgot his GPS and is just lost), they do experience a lot of times of waiting and limbo. If you’ve entered that, fret not. The world of publishing works a lot like Stop and the Go Very Fast and the Stop Again. Authors who I represent who have more than 100 titles published still have to wait long periods of time. Take a deep breath, and keep going. It’ll be worth it. God’s got this.
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An interview with author Susan G Mathis. Enjoy!
How do your previous careers influence how you write today? Before I jumped into the fiction world, I served as the Founding Editor of Thriving Family magazine and the former Editor/Editorial Director of 12 Focus on the Family publications. My first two published books were nonfiction, co-authored with my husband, Dale--Countdown for Couples: Preparing for the Adventure of Marriagewith an Indonesian and Spanish version, and TheReMarriage Adventure: Preparing for a Life of Love and Happiness. I’m also the author of two picture books, Lexie’s Adventure in Kenya and Princess Madison’s Rainbow Adventureand am published in various book compilations including five Chicken Soup for the Soul books, Ready to Wed, Supporting Families Through Meaningful Ministry, The Christian Leadership Experience, andSpiritual Mentoring of Teens. I’ve also written hundreds of magazine and newsletter articles. Because of these many and varied experiences—overseeing 123 pages of new content every month, editing, creating thousands of stories—all these have helped my fiction-writing career a lot. I’ve learned to be efficient, scheduled, productive, and creative in ways I wouldn’t have had without the careers I’ve had. After a career in writing nonfiction, I hear you’ve settled into writing only historical fiction. What is your most difficult writing obstacle? Transitioning from writing nonfiction to historical fiction was a huge leap but a wonderful discovery in finding my sweet spot. I studied fiction writing for about two years before launching out in this wonderful journey. I read books about the craft, went to writing conferences, and learned from mentors, crit groups, and more, and I’m thrilled to dedicate the rest of my writing career to this genre. Now I’ll have four published historical fiction books on the market by the end of the year. Tell us about your first two fiction books. My debut novel released on St. Patrick’s Day last year. The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacyis the story of a 1850s Irish immigrant and a 21st-century single mom who are connected by faith, family, and a quilt. Christmas Charitycame out in November. It’s the story of Susan Hawkins and Patrick O’Neill who find that an arranged marriage is much harder than they think, especially when they immigrate from Wolfe Island, Canada, to Cape Vincent, New York, in 1864, just a week after they marry—with Patrick’s nine-year-old daughter, Lizzy, in tow. Can twenty-three-year-old Susan Hawkins learn to love her forty-nine-year-old husband and find charity for her angry stepdaughter? She hopes so, before Christmas comes. What’s your newest novel? Katelyn’s Choiceis book one of The Thousand Islands Gilded Age with Lighthouse Publishing. It’s the story of nineteen-year-old Katelyn Kavanagh who leaves her family’s struggling farm to work on Pullman Island for the famous George Pullman. There she finds herself serving powerful men such as President Ulysses S. Grant, and General Sheridan—and falling in love with her best friend’s brother, Thomas, the handsome boatsman. Katelyn gains popularity with her friends by spilling the sensitive high society gossip she’s privy to. But when she overhears possibly damaging presidential conversations, she knows she can’t tell anyone. She could lose her job—and endanger her president’s 1872 reelection—and jeopardize her relationship with the man of her dreams. And what projects are you working on now? I just finished the manuscript for Devyn’s Dilemma, book two of The Thousand Islands Gilded Age series, which is already contracted. It’s the story of twenty-year-old Devyn McKenna who is nervous about working on Dark Island in the imposing Castle called the Towers, a 28-room castle complete with dungeons, underground passageways, and castle secrets. Devyn struggles to find the self-confidence she needs to carry out her duties as a housemaid in the summer home of the wealthy president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, Frederick Bourne. As she serves the likes of Brig. Gen. Cornelius Vanderbuilt III and others, her curiosity for learning grows. But when she is accused of stealing his plans for expanding the NYC subway and learns the man she loves, Brice, and her brother ‘borrowed’ the plans, her faith is tested like never before. Sign up for my newsletter to stay up with the latest news. Sara’s Surprise is my current work in progress. It releases November, 2019. Sara McNully and Sean Graham must navigate the challenging waters of working together at the magnificent Thousand Islands Crossmon Hotel in Alexandria Bay, NY. When Sean's precocious, six-year-old Madison befriends her and a colleague endangers their work and relationship, can Sara learn to trust Sean with her heart and become Mama to this little one? Susan G Mathis is a multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Katelyn’s Choice, the first in The Thousand Islands Gilded Age series, releases March 15, 2019. The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacyand her Christmas Charitynovella are available now. Susan is also a published author of two premarital books with her husband, Dale, two children's picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs, enjoys traveling globally with her wonderful husband, Dale, and relishes each time she gets to see or Skype with her four granddaughters. Find out more at www.SusanGMathis.com. For up-to-date information on these, connect with Susan here: Website: www.SusanGMathis.comYou can sign up for my newsletter on my homepage. Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SusanGMathis Twitter at https://twitter.com/@SusanGMathis Instragram:https://www.instagram.com/susangmathis Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/susangmathisaut Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6044608.Susan_G_Mathis Google+ at https://plus.google.com/u/0/108568340293012416399 Susan G Mathis Betsy's paintings and poems have blessed my life for many years, but especially at Christmas when I display her cards, in various frames, throughout our home. Here are just a few including a self portrait and a poem tucked inside this year's card. Enjoy!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! May peace and grace be multiplied unto you. 2nd Peter 1:2 |
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