FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. When did
you decide to become a writer?
A. I have always wanted to be a writer. I began writing stories when I was eight-years-old,
and ever since then it's been my dream to become an author.
Q. What inspired you to write The Chronicles of
Pine Springs?
A. There were a lot of reasons I wanted to do The Chronicles of Pine Springs. I wanted to try my
hand at writing a Christian novel because I felt it was what God was calling me to do. I love history, so I knew that anything
I wrote would be set in a historical time period. I also wanted to appeal to a wide variety of readers with
this book, which is one reason there are so many characters. Hopefully my readers will be able to find at least one character
that they identify with and will be able to learn something from the experiences that character goes through.
Q.
Is/was there a real Pine Springs, Texas?
A. No, not to my knowledge. During my research I discovered that at one
time there was a Pine Tree, Texas, but I did not base Pine Springs on that settlement.
Q. What authors have been
your biggest influences as a writer?
A. There are so many writers that I really admire. My earliest writing influences
were Laura Ingalls Wilder and Lucy Maud Montgomery, but probably the biggest influences on my writing today have been Christian
authors Lori Wick and Frank Peretti. I love all of their books.
Q. Is the character John Harris based loosely on
your father?
A. Not necessarily. I did name him John after my father and my father is also a preacher,
but other than that they aren't noticeably alike except for their strong Christian beliefs. My father is much more
laidback than John, who can be rather intense at times.
Q. What character are you most like?
A. Well,
there are really two characters that I am most like. I am a good deal like Jackie and Amanda. Some people that know me might
disagree with me on that, of course!
Q. How many books will be in this series?
A. Right
now I am planning to have a grand total of 12 books in the series, but it may end up being less depending on how things go
in the future.
Q. Are the Austins the main villains of the series?
A. No. I don't think
of the Austins as villains at all. I admit there are members of the Austin family that can be rude and mean at times,
but they are not really evil.
Q. Is the character Rosalynn Dupree based on anyone you know personally, or
is she totally fictitious?
A. She is completely fictitious. I wanted to create a complex character with a mysterious
past, but I have never known anyone like her.
Q. Will all of the characters become Christians by the end of
the series?
A. No. I have tried to stay as realistic as possible with regard to character development, and
realistically, not everyone we know in real life will accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, and neither will some
of the characters from Pine Springs. Many of them are already Christians, of course; some will accept Christ along the way
during the series; but there will be some whose fate we will never know.
Q. What kind of books do you like to read?
A. I like to read a wide variety of books. I like Christian romance novels, but I also love a good thriller
or mystery. I also enjoy reading fantasy novels.
Q. Who is your favorite character from Pine
Springs?
A. Oh, that's a hard one! I don't think I have a favorite character, really. I love all of
them in their own way, even the mean ones.
Q. Are there any surprises in store for us in the second installment
of The Chronicles of Pine Springs?
A. Yes, there will be a couple, but I'm not saying another word about
them because I don't want to give anything away.
Q. Will you keep writing after you're finished
with The Chronicles of Pine Springs?
A. Definitely. I have always been a writer, and it's something I'll
continue to do for as long as I can.
