Leanna, describe yourself for our visitors.
I’m a wife to a fabulous man! I’m also a mom to a couple of great kids, and I’m usually trying to figure out what to fix for dinner, how to get the house cleaned, and trying to remember when to pick up which child from which activity. I’m also a writer with a lot of imaginary people rummaging around in my brain.
How do you find time to connect with God?
It’s a priority. I have to make the time. It’s usually early in the morning. I have a room upstairs in my house where I go before anyone else is awake. During the day it’s usually a mad dash from here to there, or I’m trying to put words on the page, but I often pray during the day. Sometimes at night, I need to go back to that ‘upper’ room and spend more time with the Lord.
Do you have a favorite bible verse and or quote you wish to share?
My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
I have very eclectic tastes and read as much as I can from biographies to, of course, all kinds of fiction. There are so many wonderful books out there just waiting to be discovered. One of my obsessions right now is Pride and Prejudice. A couple of my other favorite stories are A Christmas Carol and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I kid you not.
Tell us about your journey to publication.
I actually have a couple of journeys, the first, which took about three years, before I was offered my first book contract. I then wrote for a few years, writing twelve books in the secular romance market, before I left to figure out what I wanted to write. God took me on a journey during that time, which started during my first pregnancy. There is nothing like taking your newborn to a pediatric cardiologist to put you on your knees. From there, God began to change my heart and ultimately took me in a new direction with my writing. But breaking back into publishing after a few years’ absence wasn’t all that easy. When the time was right though, God opened the doors.
Tell us about your current book.
The day Armstrong stepped on the moon has special memories for most Americans, but not for Bryn Seymour. It’s the day her mother died. Despite death defying feats, guilt has always pulled Bryn down time and again. But a perfect love shows her taking a leap of faith is the first step to soaring. But it only happens … once in a blue moon.
How did you come up with ideas for Once in a Blue Moon ?
The idea that started Once in a Blue Moon was when I contemplated huge milestones in our nation’s history, when people ask, “Where were you when…?” I was just a little girl when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. I remember lying on my parents’ gold shag carpet and staring up at the television console. I was so young that I don’t think I really understood the significance. Maybe all the hoopla made me realize its importance. Most Americans have very fond memories of that event. But what if someone had the opposite reaction? What if someone’s life changed that day?
What influenced you to write this book?
I was actually torn between two stories, and I prayed and asked God which one he wanted me to write. It was Once in a Blue Moon. He was so faithful in getting me through this book, bringing things to mind when I needed them, pointing out connections throughout the book so it could go deeper. I was really worried about finishing the book because while I was revising it, my father was in and out of the hospital. It was very difficult to find time to work during that long three-week stretch. Amazingly, I was able to turn the book in a week early. Right after that, my dad went into the hospital for the last time. I was able to spend that week with my dad and family.
Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?
It’s difficult for me to choose only one. I loved Bryn. I could so relate to her fears and also her impulsivity. I loved her sense of humor. Howard was very interesting. I never knew what he would do. And well, Sam…he was a great romantic hero. The attraction and tension between Sam and Bryn…well, it was hot.
What’s next for you?
FACELIFT comes out September 2010. A ‘can do’ kind of woman, who runs her own business and raises her teenage daughter alone, takes into her home her ex-mother-in-law after a botched facelift. She turns Kaye’s world upside down. Kaye receives her own emotional facelift when she learns joy isn’t tacking on a happy face but relying on her sovereign God who has a plan for her life.
Where can visitors find you online?
I’m on Facebook and Twitter and my website is: www.leannaellis.com where you’ll also find my blog.
Recent Comments