Lynn Whyte-Heath is stopping by the blog today. Lynn and I know each other from the Booktrap, a writer’s marketing cooperative. Welcome to the blog, Lynn. I had a few technical difficulties this week, so we’re not posting on Wednesday. Tell us something about yourself.
We live in Farley green, Albury, UK. Although I am originally from Manchester and my Husband is from Cornwall.
I retired from the railway in November 2013. I am married to Alan and have four grown up children, between us.
Alan works as a bus driver for a private company. We are members of a lawn-green bowling club and have two allotments,
where we attempt to grow our own vegetables.
Attempt … that’s about my experience with vegetables, too. At what point did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I began to write my first book in 1977. We lived in Germany and as my first Husband was working and the Children were at school, I began to write ‘Hope for the Future’ I occasionally returned to it but didn’t actually publish until Nov 2014, I began my second book ‘They Came to Help Us’ straight away and published in May 2015.
Tell us about your writing process.
I build an outline in my head, I take note of anything I dream and use my best dreams. Once I have the beginning and end, I start writing and the story tells me what to write.
What is your favorite genre … to read … to write?
I like to read Murder/Mystery; my favourite writer is James Patterson. I like to write Fiction including Sci-Fi, History, religion, anything really
What are you passionate about?
Politics and any form of bullying.
What is something you cannot live without?
My Family, my Laptop and Chip butties.
When you are not writing, what do you do?
I like oil-painting, bowling and learning to play guitar. I do housework and also work on the allotment, as I said earlier.
Have you written any books that made a transformative effect on you? In what way?
Since writing the books, I am spending many hours on the computer. Talking to other Authors and answering or deleting e-mails.
Where do you get the inspiration for your novels?
My very strange mind.
What sort of research do you do for your novels?
The first Novella did not require any research but the second Novel did, I had to research Historical events and Politics and still a reviewer mentioned I hadn’t got the ‘Tide times ‘ right. Oh well, you will never get everything right.
No, perfect isn’t possible, though some reviewers think it is. If someone who hasn’t read any of your novels asked you to describe your writing, what would you say?
I would say, I write as I think. My writing is easy to read but you still have to figure things out for yourself. I do not like to explain everything in my books, because I assume my readers are intelligent and have imagination. I write fiction with somebody in turmoil and mental anguish, add a demon/Angel/ alien and run with it.
Do you have a special place where you write?
I write in my lounge at the table, all my work has to have been done, dinner prepared and Dog walked. I like white space.
Do you find yourself returning to any recurring themes within your writing and, if so, are you any closer to finding an answer?
Yes in both of my books, A Mother loses a Child. This was not intentional and I have no idea why.
Are you a plot driven or character driven writer? Why?
Both, I think they link themselves.
Do you write from an outline or are you a discovery writer? Why?
Again both, I have an outline and then discover the plot as I go. I get excited about what is going to happen.
What point of view do you prefer to write, and why?
I like to be telling a story about what has happened to a main character and their Family.
Do you head-hop?
Slightly.
I’m going to drop you in a remote Alaska cabin for a month. It’s summer so you don’t have worry about freezing to death. I’ll supply the food and the mosquito spray. What do you do while you’re there and what do you bring with you? If you’re bringing books, what are they?
Ha, my Kindle full of Books, swimsuit and laptop. I will sunbathe, swim, Read and Write a bestselling Novel. When do I go?
My husband and son just hiked in the materials for the first floor this week, so maybe in a year. Talk about your books individually.
They Came to Help Us – Aged thirty five Charlotte had led an idealistic lifestyle, under the regime of The Martians! Who came to Earth to save us from self-destruction in the year 2015? On the Birth of her second Daughter ‘Holly’ Charlotte began to realise that all was not has it appeared, There had been a price for the help the Martians had given, Was the cost too high? Having being kept in the dark for Thirty five years, she was now on a mission to complete her education, fighting against her Families advice and her own emotions, Is she endangering herself and others? Does she have the strength to overcome her mental demons? Or will she turn a blind eye, and allow them to deceive many Mothers without their consent. Just because our (predominantly Male) Government had made an agreement
‘Hope for the Future – Childhood sweethearts Maria and Zach finally marry. Zach is seriously injured and in return for his life Maria makes a deal with Aliens, not quite sure what they want from her, she agrees. After several years the Devil comes to terrorise both Maria and her Daughter but there are something’s a Mother will never sacrifice.
Was it your intention to write a story with a message or a moral?
Yes I think so.
What do you want readers to think or feel after reading one of your books?
I would like to think the readers are thinking, she has a point.
There are people believe that traditional publishing is on the ropes, that self-publishing is the future. Do you agree? Why?
No I don’t agree, I believe there will always be both. Because if self-published authors continue to give their work away, Readers will think they must be worthless, until they read them of course. But traditional publishers can afford to promote worldwide, I also believe if I was rich and could afford to throw thousands at a reasonable good Book, it would become a bestseller.
I
agree. A well-promoted book doesn’t even necessarily need to be well-written, which is sort of sad and an indictment of some trad publishers. What do you find to be the greatest advantage of self-publishing?
Although I used a publishing company for my books, I will self-publish my next book. Because you can re-address your work and make changes, even after publishing. Also you can choose how much you charge for them.
What do you think self-published authors might be missing out on?
Publicity and promotion, Self published Authors have to do all the work themselves,
With the number of self-published books increasing by such a huge rate, it is really difficult for authors to make their books stand out. How do you go about this?
With help from wherever I can find it and keeping on going.
Who designed your book cover/s?
The publishing company.
Do you believe that self-published authors can produce books as high-quality as the traditional published? If so, how do you think we should go about that?
Yes I do, I think a good cover is worth paying for, but if the storyline is good you just need to use the best you can afford.
Do you belong to a writer’s cooperative? Describe your experience with that.
Yes I belong to three. The first one is called ‘Booktrap’; the other authors have been a great help and inspiration. The second is called ‘Clean Reads 4U’. This is a group who promote books that have no sexual references or swearing. The last is called ‘Readers Gazette’ this is mainly re-tweeting and quizzing.
As a writer who holds to a religious faith, do you write specifically for a Christian audience? Why or why not?
No I write for myself but as a lapsed Roman Catholic, I tend to mention references to religion. But like to hope my books can be enjoyed by everybody.
What are some of the special challenges of being a Christian writer?
The main challenges would be if you continuously mention the fact that your book is aimed at the Christian audience, you could alienate people who would potentially enjoy your work.
Christians are told to be “in the world, but not of it.” As a Christian writer, how do you write to conform to that scripture?
It is my view that we can write our books without hurting anybody, if you feel the need to swear or be offensive, perhaps you should take a walk and calm down first. Try to take a wider view of the world around you, it is a wonderful place.
Do you feel that Christian writers are expected to conform to some standards that are perhaps not realistic to the world?
No not really, we create our own boundaries.
Do you feel that Christian writers should focus on writing really great story or on presenting the gospel clearly in everything they write? Or is it possible to do both?
Write a really great story whilst keeping to what you believe is right, People like to read for relaxation and enjoyment. The Bible has already been written,
If you write speculative fiction, do you find that the Christian reader community is accepting of that genre?
Yes, I feel you don’t have to be judgmental to be a Christian.
Links
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/lynn.whyteheath
Twitter – https://twitter.com/lynnnanna
Hope for the Future – http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Future-lynn-whyte-heath-ebook/dp/B00PU5SNJ0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
They Came To Help Us – http://www.amazon.com/They-Came-Help-Lynn-Whyte-Heath-ebook/dp/B00WGQU18C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
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I will be off social media for the weekend, hunting the magnificent Alaskan blueberry. I promise that upon my return, I will make every effort to return any retweet and share favors.
The question is not “Can Christians disobey the governments they find themselves under?” Clearly early Christian did and Jesus told them they would have to. The question is really “How do we say ‘no” in a godly way?”
Three Additional Tests for Christian Civil Disobedience
aurorawatcherak 