CoAuthors Interviewed ~ Eva Marie Everson & Linda Shepherd

Linda is a national Christian speaker who uses the power of story and humor to draw her audience closer to God. She says, "There's a point in my presentations where the women in my audiences appear to have each had a face lift and to have lost twenty pounds. It's like we've spent the day in a spa of refreshing encouragement."

Welcome to Novel Journey, how long did it take you to get published?

The first time I was inspired to write a book, I marched to a writer’s conference and showed my concept for a teen devotional to an editor. To my surprise, the editor bought it. The next few sales were a bit more difficult to find, but even so I’ve continued to write and publish well over two dozen books.

Do you think an author is born or made?

A good writer is someone of talent who practices the craft of writing. That said, there are many talented people who yearn to tell their stories, but not all of them are willing to do what it takes get their stories into a marketable presentation.

What is the first book you remember reading?

When I was a child, my dad was always quick to give me a shiny quarter to buy a Golden Book whenever we went to the grocery store. Pokey Little Puppy, and the Children’s Book of Prayers were among my favorites. I memorized every line in my vast collection until I started school and began to read about Spot, Dick and Jane running across the pages of my primer. After that there was no stopping my visits to Beaumont’s many libraries.

What common qualities do you find in the personalities of published authors?

Novelists are visionaries who love to create and control their own little worlds. Non-fiction authors are usually teachers who long to communicate ideas and principles. But regardless of their differences, most authors are merely daydreamers with a keyboard.

How do you know if you have a seemingly “stupid” book premise that is doomed to fail versus one that will fly high?

Sometimes it takes another to tell you your idea doesn’t have wings. But as a visionary, I can always imagine my book idea finished, and flying onto some bestsellers list somewhere. The real challenge is in getting others to see your vision.

What is the theme of your latest book?

In the novel the Potluck Catering Club’s The Secret’s in the Sauce, the theme explores secrets that hold us back from a deeper relationship with friends, family and God.

At what point did you stop juggling suggestions and critiques and trust yourself (as a writer)?

I learned along the way, it’s not about trying to guess if you’re ready, it’s about doing your best to meet a deadline with your best work at that point in time. Otherwise one could find themselves editing one book the rest of their writing life.

Are takeaway messages (in your book) important to you?

Absolutely. Almost anyone can write a book, but not everyone can write a book that creates a statement.

When do you know you’ve got the finished product and it’s your best effort?

As I’m a bit of a perfectionist, I spend a lot more time pouring over my writing than most. However, there comes a point when my chapter begins to read like a well loved song. When that happens, I’m ready to write the next verse.

Any anecdotes about the research or writing of your books?

As Eva and I have written the two Potluck Series as a team, we’ve spent a lot of time on the phone discussing plots and characters. One day as we discussed our ‘girls,’ Eva was shopping in a department store in Orlando, while I was shopping in a department store in Denver. We suddenly realized we were raising eyebrows as we chatted and laughed about our character’s shocking dilemmas. I told Eva, “The people around me think I’m the world’s biggest gossip and they’re not laughing.” Eva admitted that she too was facing dirty stares. After that, we were careful not to talk about our girls on cell phones in public.

How would you pitch this book to your intended audience?

The Potluck Catering Club The Secret’s in the Sauce is what happens when steamy secrets boil over, spilling heartache, love and truth into the friendships of six, small-town women. .How will these friends react to revelations that will rock not only their lives but their marriages? Take a visit to Summit View, Colorado and discover who’s past has caught up with them, who’s been in the sauce and what Deputy Donna will do to arrest these latest developments while discovering the love of her life.

For more information, go to: www.PotluckClub.com.