Author Interview ~ Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock's books have increased her sales to over five million copies. She has over thirty Christian titles, many of which have been number one best-sellers. Her most recent best-sellers include Last Light and Night Light, Books 1 and 2 in her Restoration Series. Book 3, True Light, will release in June of 2007.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as "The 700 Club" and "Home Life," and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

What new book or project do you have coming out?

TRUE LIGHT, Book 3 in my Restoration Series, will be in stores any day now. Here’s a blurb about it that will go out in my newsletter next week: TRUE LIGHT continues the story of the global power outage and the trials of the Branning family, who are learning what it means to put others’ needs before their own. This book focuses on Mark Green, a character in LAST LIGHT and NIGHT LIGHT. As the son of a convicted murderer, Mark Green already has one strike against him. But when his teenaged friend is shot, Mark is considered the suspect. Swept into a broken justice system, Mark finds that his one true ally is Deni Branning, who won’t rest until Mark’s name is cleared.

When I began writing this book, I felt that God wanted it to have a theme of forgiveness. We Christians love to use that word, and we all think that we have a great capacity for it. After all, if Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, how dare we not forgive others? But what does true forgiveness look like? This is the question I explored as I wrote Mark’s story. I have to admit I grew quite attached to him as he showed me the strength of his character despite all adversity. No wonder Deni’s falling in love!

How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific 'what if' moment?

Actually, the idea for the Restoration Series came to me after Y2K (the year 2000). We were making all these preparations for the catastrophe we were told would come, and I began thinking about writing a television series in which technology crashed, and people had to learn to live without all the modern conveniences. When the year 2000 came and went without problems, I thought the idea was obsolete.

But it wouldn’t leave me. It germinated in my mind for years, and finally I realized that I could bring about the same situation with a series of electromagnetic pulses. And I pictured this family that would be featured throughout the books—the Brannings, who are upper middle-class, and live in a 4000 square foot house with all the bells and whistles—who are suddenly without electricity, air conditioning, computers, televisions, telephones, cars, etc.

I began to research how this could come about, and I learned that a nuclear bomb exploding in the upper atmosphere could knock out all technology in an entire region of the country. Once I knew it could happen, I changed the crisis so that it was an act of God rather than man. The question that prompted the series was this: What might God do to get our attention? America is so spoiled and self-indulgent. How could God purify and refine us to make us lean more on Him. Would we be better or worse because of this crisis?

It was fun to write about this spoiled family finding their way, growing closer and less selfish, and learning to lean on God as never before. As society declines and crime rises, each book has a suspense/mystery which threatens their lives. The series will have four books, and I’ve just finished the fourth one, DAWN’S LIGHT, which will be out in the spring. The Restoration Series, which began with LAST LIGHT and NIGHT LIGHT, will be more about restoration of the soul than restoration of the power.

Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

I started writing when I was about twelve and knew that I wanted to do it professionally. I have a BA degree in English, which was a great major for me because it taught me how to organize my thoughts well and use the English language as a tool. It also enabled me to study great literature, and see what makes the classics great.

I wrote my first novel when I was twenty-four, and never sold that one. But by the time I got a rejection, I had written my second one. That one sold when I was twenty-five. I had gotten an agent through a writer’s conference, and she was the one who called to tell me my book had sold. I remember having to sit down on the floor when she called because I was so excited my knees went weak. I finally felt like I could “come out of the closet” as a bona fide writer.

Do you ever struggle with writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?

I do struggle with writer’s block. I find that the best thing to do for it is to quit writing for a few days and read a great novel. That usually primes the juices so I can get back to work. Also, sometimes it helps for me to change where I’m writing. I’ll often get in my car and go park somewhere, and write in the car. I don’t know why that helps, but it removes me from the distractions at home and helps me to concentrate.

Most of my writer’s block happens during the first draft. I hate first drafts! They’re the hardest part of what I do. I don’t really feel creative until the second draft, and I’ll do umpteen drafts until I just run out of time.

What is the most difficult part of writing for you or was when you first started on your writing journey?

I think one of the most difficult things for me is physical descriptions. I have to put descriptions of people and settings in later drafts, because it doesn’t come naturally for me in the first draft. It’s one of those things I have to consciously work at. I tend to keep character descriptions to a minimum because I want people to use their own imaginations in thinking about them. However, that’s a good excuse for laziness sometimes, so I have to watch that.

What do you think the secret is to writing good suspense?

For me, plotting backward often helps. In other words, figuring out the crime, how it happened, who did it, etc., and then working backward to plot the book. I do an extensive outline, complete with time line, POV characters for a given scene, day of story, date, etc. But it’s important to be flexible as I write. I’ve literally written two drafts of a book, only to change the villain. Then I have to rewrite to make that plausible. I’m constantly asking if the reader will expect what’s happening. If what I’m doing is too predictable, something has to change.

You've hit the best-sellers list numerous times. To what would you attribute your success?

I got into the Christian market at the very beginning of its growth, about twelve years ago. I was one of the first to write Christian suspense novels. The timing couldn’t have been better, and I attribute that directly to God. Since then, I think the number of books I’ve written—over 30 Christian books now, I think, and 32 secular ones before that—has given me name recognition. The books themselves are advertisements for all the others. If you work hard at this doing the best you can for a long period of time, your numbers will increase.

Where do you write? Do you have a dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?

I have a dedicated office, but I often write on my laptop in different rooms of the house. I wrote my latest novel lying down after back surgery. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?

The moment I set a word count or page goal, I get writer’s block. I think I have a very rebellious spirit where that’s concerned. Instead, I’ll decide where I need to be in the story by the end of the next week. I’ll have a general idea that I need the first draft finished by a certain date, so I’ll have time for several more drafts before deadline.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I start each day with Bible study and prayer. Either I’m reading the Bible through, or I’m doing a Precept Bible Study course written by Kay Arthur. (I’m a Precept teacher, so my Bible study is often preparation for my class, too.) After that, I check my email, and then I start writing. I write until around 3:00, usually. When my children were still at home, I wrote during school hours. Now that they’re grown, I keep those hours because they work for me. When I’m coming up on a deadline, I keep longer hours. After work, I run errands, then spend evenings with my husband if it’s not one of the nights I’m at church. It’s actually a pretty boring schedule.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

“Don’t get it right, get it written.” Years ago when I started out, I would rewrite the first three chapters over and over, and eventually lose interest. I couldn’t finish a book because of that. Then I heard someone say this, and a light bulb came on in my brain. I tried it, and it worked for me. Since then, I write the first draft through without judgment, trying not to let anything mess up my momentum. Then, as I said, I rewrite and rewrite and rewrite, and that’s when I get it “right.”

What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?

I wish I’d learned earlier not to accept every speaking engagement that came along. I eventually realized that program directors have to have at least twelve speakers a year, and they don’t care who you are. I realized that I was using up much-needed time and energy speaking to these groups who couldn’t care less. Writing was a much better use of my time.

How much marketing do you do? What have you found that particularly works well for you?

Writing a great book is the best marketing you can do. I need all of my time and energy for that, so I don’t do much at all except maintain my web site, answer my mail, and do whatever is initiated by my publisher. I do believe in promoting my books in ways that make sense, but I’m careful to weigh each thing and ask myself if it’s something that will waste time or really help get the word out.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

It’s important to “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3). God gave each of us gifts for the sole purpose of glorifying Him. If we do that, He’ll bless our efforts. If we go after fame and fortune for ourselves, then we’re wasting our gifts.

I think it’s helpful to decide what God intended for you to do with your gift. Was it to lead people to Christ? Was it to encourage those who are suffering? Was it to guide people back to the Bible? What will God get out of this gift He so graciously gave you? Once you decide what your mission statement is, you can run all of your activities—writing, marketing, speaking, traveling, email, church work, etc.— through that filter. It will clear your calendar, and help you focus. And most of all, Christ will be glorified.