Author Interview With Suzanne Woods Fisher

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Suzanne Woods Fisher’s just-released historical novel Copper Fire, is the sequel to the three-time award-winning Copper Star, a World War II love story inspired by true events. Fisher was a contributing editor to Christian Parenting Today magazine. Her work has appeared in Today’s Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, and Marriage Partnership. She has contributed to ten non-fiction books, including Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs. A wife and mother, Fisher lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. The best thing about being a writer, she feels, is that all of life becomes material for writing. It’s all grit for the oyster.

Suzanne can be found at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

During the month of June, Suzanne is running a book-a-day-giveaway contest. To enter, scoot on over to her blog to leave a comment or pop her an e-mail: Suzanne@suzannewoodsfisher.com

INTERVIEW:

Welcome to my blog. What inspired you to write Copper Fire?
Copper Fire is the sequel to Copper Star, picking right up at the very end of World War II. On a summer day in 1945, my main character, Louisa, receives a telegram from the International Red Cross Tracing Service. She discovers that her cousin, Elisabeth, has just been released from Dachau. Louisa is determined to go to Germany to get Elisabeth…and that’s where the story begins.

What’s your simplest pleasure?
Walking my pups. (I raise puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.) Warm sunshine on my face, fresh air to breath. Ah, a blessed moment in a day!

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
See? That’s my problem. I have this inner drive to make every moment count. As if every hour is billable and, really, it isn’t! I need a guilty pleasure or two!

What was your most embarrassing moment?
I had the privilege of interviewing an incredibly famous author, whom I greatly respect, and in my nervousness I forgot that his time zone was different than mine. He ended up calling me (this was back in the day when long distance was expensive). I was surprised to hear from him, unprepared (I thought I had another hour to prepare!), and blustered my way through the interview. I’m sure he thought I was an idiot.

What¹s the one thing about your younger self that you¹d like to reclaim?
The feeling that there was a luxury of time at my disposal. At this stage of life I feel as if I’m stuck on a moving sidewalk escalator. Know what I mean?

Can you tell us what’s on your desk right now? What can readers look forward to?
In late August, Grit from the Oyster: 250 Pearls of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers, will be released from Vintage Spirit. I wrote Grit with three other very talented authors.

And another piece of great news! I just received a contract from Revell/Baker for a non-fiction book called Amish Peace in an English Life. It won’t be out until 2010…but it is taking up 90% of my brain right now.

Congrats on your recent sale! I’m sure you’re excited about this project!

Thanks for letting me hang around, Cecelia!

You’re welcome!

Find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

Copper Star (ISBN: 0-9793327-4-5) and Copper Fire (ISBN: 978-0-981-5592-0-9) are available at Amazon or other on-line booksellers, at Suzanne’s website, or can be ordered through your favorite bookstore.

Also, if interested, you’re welcome to read the interview I posted with Suzanne last year.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Book Giveaway!

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I’m doing another book giveaway. When you leave your comment, I’d like you to answer a question for me: who is your favorite Christian fiction author, and why is that author your favorite? ALSO, WHEN YOU COMMENT, PLEASE LEAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU! Also, let me know which novel you’d like to win when you leave your comment!

If you have more than one favorite, you can name all of them!

Here are the new/slightly used books I’m giving away this time. I’ve reviewed most of these titles on my blog, so you can do a search if you’d like to see what I said about these books.

Thr3e by Ted Dekker
A Moment Of Weakness by Karen Kingsbury
Defining Moments by Jacquelin Thomas
Piercing The Darkness by Frank Peretti
The Winter Pearl by Molly Noble Bull
Black by Ted Dekker
Tilly by Frank Peretti
Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston
John’s Quest by Cecelia Dowdy – I’m giving away five copies of my own novel!


~Cecelia Dowdy~

Tuesday Night At The Blue Moon

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Tuesday Night At The Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers (June 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802487335
ISBN-13: 978-0802487339
From Amazon.com:
When Marty Winslow’s daughter dies of a devastating genetic disease, she discovers the truth- her child had been switched at birth. Her actual biological daughter was recently orphaned and is being raised by grandparents in a retirement community. Marty is awarded custody, but Andie refuses to fit into the family, adding one more challenge for this grieving single mom that pushes her toward the edge, and into the arms of a loving God. For Andie, being forced to live with strangers is just one more reason not to trust God. Her soul is as tattered as the rundown Blue Moon movie drive-in the family owns. But Tuesday night is Family Night at the Blue Moon, and as her hopes grow dim, healing comes from an unexpected source- the hurting family and nurturing birth mom she fights so hard to resist.
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This is the first time that I’ve read a novel using such an unusual conflict due to circumstance. The first time I heard about a baby being switched at birth was back in the eighties. I recall it was on the news when this couple had a girl who died when she was a child, and the doctor confirmed that the child was not their biological child. There was a huge court case and I believe there was a made-for-TV movie about the incident.

The book was an unusual read, but unusual in a good way. The circumstances of the story made it unusual. It was hard for Andie to leave her grandparents, to live with a family that she’s never known. She now has two female siblings who resemble her. Plus Andie’s biological mother, Marty, is also struggling to raise three children alone, with no husband for support. Ginger, Marty’s “daughter” was mistakenly given to Marty at the hospital, (hence the baby switch). When Ginger gets ill and then dies when she’s a pre-teen, it’s discovered that Ginger is not Marty’s biological daughter. The baby-switch is discovered, and Marty finds out that Andie, her biological daughter, is alive and well and living with her elderly grandparents. These facts cause Marty great emotional turmoil. When Ginger originally got ill, Marty’s husband left her, not being able to take the pressure of caring for a dying child.

Andie’s life is full of turmoil, also. She’s recently lost her “parents” in a plane crash. So she’s living with her elderly grandparents when the case goes to court about her living arrangements. The judge decides it’s best if Andie lives with her birth family. Problems arise in Marty’s household when Andie moves in. Winnie, the youngest child, initially accepts Andie into her life, however, Deja, an older teen, has several emotional outbursts because she’s forced to live with her new biological sister.

Both Andie and Marty feel as if their lives are spinning out of control, and Marty bakes as a source of comfort. Her cookies, cakes, brownies and cinnamon rolls fill their kitchen with sweetness as she longs to make her dream come true: owning her own bakery. Andie continues to feel like an outcast in her new “home” as she refuses to unpack her clothing. She continues to leave her clothing in boxes and suitcases, refusing to use the dresser since she feels her stay will be temporary. Both Andie and Marty realize that their tumultuous lives can come under control as soon as they place their faith in Jesus.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Check Out This Editorial Interview!

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A little over a year ago, I blogged about shelving African-American titles in bookstores. I notice from my Google analytics stats, that people stumble across that old blog entry from time to time when they’re researching that subject on the internet. Well, the new editor for Harlequin’s Kimani (AA) line, Kelli Martin, gave a great interview on Tracy Montoya’s blog. She discusses shelving AA books in stores, as well as gives her impressions about the world of publishing for multicultural authors. So here are the links to part one and part two of the interview. Enjoy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~

The Winners

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Below is a listing of the winners for my last book giveaway. I still haven’t heard back from one of the winners yet. Once I do, I’ll post her name, also.

One More Sunrise by Michael Landon Jr. and Tracie Peterson – Mrs. Carole Jarvis – Jonesboro, GA
Treasures Of The North by Tracie Peterson – Christy Hawkes Tremonton, Utah
The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher – Tonye Hickling – Clinton, NY
Listening To Her Heart by Joyce Livingston – A Heartsong Presents Title – Kennisha Hill Lewisville, TX
Margaret’s Quest by Muncy G. Chapman – An old Heartsong Presents Title – Cindi Hoppes – Edwardsville, Illinois
Murder On The Old Bunions by S. Dionne Moore – A recent Hearstong Presents Mystery – Ginnie Stokes – Norton, VA
My Soul Cries Out by Sherri L. Lewis – Maurice Gray – Wilmington, DE
Mercy, Mercy Me by Ronn Elmore – an old Walk Worthy Press title (this title kind of reminds me of an ABA title more so than CBA) Jo Legat – Palm Bay, FL

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Bygones by Kim Vogel Sawyer

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Bygones by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc (April 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1597894044
ISBN-13: 978-1597894043
From Amazon.com:
Widower Marie Koeppler and her grown daughter Beth reluctantly return to the Mennonite community Marie abandoned twenty-three years ago. Soon after their arrival in Sommerfeld, a series of mysterious thefts raises the community’s suspicions against the “”outsiders.”” Can Marie prove their innocence, or will she be forced to flee once more? Henry Braun thought he’d gotten his love for Marie out of his system, but soon begins to wonder if she’s stolen more than his heart. When it’s all said and done, can Henry and Marie let bygones be bygones, or has their love been doomed from the start?

I received this book for my birthday last year from my editor at Barbour.

I enjoyed this book. The author did a great job with developing characters you’ll remember for a long time. I even got upset and mad at some of the characters while I was reading the story. When Marie and her daughter, Beth return to Marie’s Mennonite community, she’s shunned by those who used to love her. When a series of robberies occur, the newcomers are accused of the crimes. Marie’s childhood sweetheart, Henry, wants to reconcile with her, however, Marie is torn about her feelings towards him, knowing she’ll be gone in three months. I did get kind of upset when I read that Marie had been voted out (ex-communicated) from her church by the higher ups twenty- three years ago when she left her Mennonite roots to marry a non-Mennonite truck driver that passes through her town. Her actions cause her father to shun her, and the entire community, with the exception of Henry, and her elderly Aunt Lisbeth, shunned her also after she left.

Henry Braun and Lisbeth share a close relationship: their love for Marie solidifies them and over the years, Marie writes to Aunt Lisbeth, telling her of her daughter’s “Kodak Moments”. Lisbeth reads these letters to Henry Braun. Henry is still hurt that Marie got married and left with the truck driver years ago, and he continues to love and pray for her over the years. When Lisbeth dies, she leaves her café to Marie’s daughter, Beth. However, in order for Beth to claim her inheritance, she must come and live in Sommerfield for three months before staking her claim on the café. Beth is determined to sell the business after her three months are up, eager to cash in on the selling price of the business. Marie returns with her daughter, helping to run the café during her three-month stay.

This book is the first in the Sommerfield series, and I’d be interested in reading the other titles in this series. My to-be-read pile is HUGE, so if/when I get around to purchasing these other titles, I’ll be sure to read them and post my thoughts.

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POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW:

On a personal note, this story stuck with me because, although Marie did renew her faith in God, she rejoined her old Mennonite church. I don’t think I could have re-joined the church which excommunicated me for falling in love with a non-Mennonite and marrying him. I’m not sure if this action is practiced within the Mennonite faith in general, or if it were only practiced at this particular congregation. It’s hard for me to comment further since I don’t know a whole lot about the Mennonite faith.


~Cecelia Dowdy~

Lemon Pound Cake!

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I made lemon pound cake yesterday! If you like pound cake, then you should really try this recipe! I can guarantee that you WON’T be disappointed. It’s one of my favorite cakes and I’ve been making it for years!

I’ve also copied and pasted the recipe below for those interested. The recipe is also in the link above!

OLD FASHIONED LEMON POUND CAKE

1 ½ cups butter (3 sticks)

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon

Grated rind of one lemon

6 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup evaporated milk

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Beat butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add sugar ½ cup at a time, creaming well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lemon extract, juice and rind. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir thoroughly after each addition. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. If cake is not done after 50-60 minutes, bake longer, until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes; remove from pans.

GLAZE:

Sift one cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Squeeze juice of one lemon into a separate bowl. Remove seeds from the lemon juice. Mix lemon juice with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy!

Sift one cup of confectioners’ sugar into a bowl. Squeeze juice of one lemon into a separate bowl. Remove seeds from the lemon juice. Mix lemon juice with confectioners’ sugar and drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy!

~Cecelia Dowdy~