June Bryan Belfie on Writing and which book to read first...

How long did it take you to write this book? Edit it?

My first draft of a novel usually takes about two months. Then I begin the edits, which can take another two to three months. I'm never totally satisfied, but when I hit a deadline for submission, I say a prayer and hit "send."

How many books have your written? How many have been published?

I think I've completed twelve or thirteen novels. Some are on my hard drive to work on when I have a chance. The first novel, my favorite, became three books. They are set in the US, Italy, France, and England. I love my protagonist and my readers agree the plot is good, but I haven't submitted them since they need revision and I've been too busy preparing the three books that have been published, plus one scheduled for September. Besides, I do have a life beyond writing!

If I was a first-time reader of your books, which one would you recommend I start with and why?

It depends. If the reader just wants a fun, quick read? Start with "The Landlord."

"Moving On" is a more serious book, dealing with divorce. The new book, "A Special Blessing for Sara" is also a quick read, humorous in part, and yet has serious moments. I guess it depends upon the reader's interest.

Which book was the easiest for you to write? The hardest? The most fun?

They have all been easy to write. The book coming out in September took the most time, because it is set in a historical setting, which required considerable research. "A Long Way to Go" is about a young widow with three children who emigrates to Oregon with the first major wagon train in 1843. Her inner struggle is greater than facing the dangers of the trek across the country.

What are the elements of a great romance for you?

First, I have to identify in some way with the protagonist. She must be someone I could respect and like as a friend. Of course, my hero should be strong and honorable. Since I'm a Christian, I prefer my hero to be one also. Sometimes, I'm willing to wait awhile, but I want someone I can admire. Keep the sex in the bedroom, out of my sight, but give me enough romance so I can fill in the blanks.

My readers can find me at http://www.junesecondcup.blogspot.com

http://www.freshview.weebly.com or on facebook. I love to add writer and reader friends!

June Bryan Belfie

Tell us a little about your newest book. What is the genre? What is it about?

"A Special Blessing for Sara" will be available on April 15^th. It is a Christian romance novel about a young woman, adopted at birth, who is a Christian counselor in central PA. Her own life is complicated by a broken engagement. A young youth pastor, a fellow counselor who teaches at the high school and then her ex-fiance, who suddenly reappears, keep her in a state of confusion. Then a surprising element turns into a blessing for Sara.

Is this completely out of imagination, or are there elements of your real life experience in the plot/characters?

It's difficult to determine what I grab from my own life experiences and what I 'create' in my mind, since everything and everyone has some influence on my thinking and my characters. My first published book, "Moving On" was about a young divorcee. Since I went through a difficult divorce in my early thirties, I guess that book is probably the closest to my own life.

How much of your personality and life experience is in your writing?

My protagonist always has some of my traits, I'm sure, whether I want it to happen or not. I've written one book, so far unseen by publishers, which is about a woman, very different from me and it was fun to put myself into her "head."

Where do your ideas come from?

I have no idea. I do spend a lot of time, usually when I first awake, thinking about plot and characterization. While I'm more character-driven, I usually start with a theme, move on to a beginning - crisis - resolution in my mind, and then begin developing my main characters.

Why did you decide to write sweet or warm Christian Romance?

I started writing for my two teen-age grand-daughters to give them 'clean' books to read from my perspective. Both girls write themselves and the oldest majored in English in college. I found it fun to write and some of my books are humorous as well as romantic.

Both Moving On and The Landlord are available NOW, and you can get A Special Blessing for Sarah TOMORROW. Order any or ALL THREE at http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/JuneBryanBelfie/Page.bok and check out her blog at http://www.junesecondcup.blogspot.com/

Meet June Belfie

June Belfie will be visiting the next couple of days. Here is a little about her to whet your appetite:

At this time of my life, I'm enjoying living in a small town in Pennsylvania with my husband Jim. While he handles our rental units and attends his wonderful gardens, I take care of our antique shop and write away. I've produced eight novels in five years, but only now am confident enough to work on marketing and sharing my stories with others. After raising five children, we enjoy the eight grandchildren, who span in age from five to twenty-three. I moved many times through my lifetime and painted, owned a thirty-eight room inn in the Pocono Mountains where I cooked for the guests and ran art workshops. At various times in my life, I also worked in a bank, played the piano, directed a choir, and went to decorating school in NYC. Everything I've experienced, including a difficult divorce, has led me to this point in my life. God has been my fortress throughout my valleys and my mountaintops. I've been truly blessed.

Patty about Tea

As a tea drinker, I loved this post from Patty on her website. And I agree completely!

A pretty cup

Posted on March 11, 2012 by patty

It hasn’t even been “one of those days,” it’s been one of those weeks. My son is one of those kids who is too smart for his own good. He has intelligence beyond his short years, but still the emotional maturity of a three year old. That makes for some difficult parenting, and I was so frustrated today that I sat in my car and tried really, really hard not to weep into my steering wheel. Instead of having a good cry in the parking lot, I decided on a little retail therapy instead.
I wanted a tea cup. So I went out and bought one. It wasn’t expensive, but it is pretty… and it’s something that belongs to me and only me. It might sound selfish, but as a mother, there isn’t much of that left. Sheets, blankets, towels, dishes… they are all family used. Pretty knick knacks get broken. Furniture gets scratched. Even my meals are constantly interrupted. My bed gets shared halfway through the night when the bad dreams come and my clothes… well, my clothes are mine. I don’t have to share those, but they do get pulled on a lot. So in my fit of frustration, I decided that the only thing that could soothe my bruised little self was a tea cup all my own.

I’m telling you, regular days require tea, but the real doozies require tea in a pretty cup.

Read an excerpt from Patty's soon-to-be released Perfect on Paper. http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-284/Perfect-on-Paper-Patty/Detail.bok

Patty Froese on Writing

Thanks, Patty, for coming back today to talk about writing. First, if you weren't writing what would you be doing?

Writing. I'm not even joking! I don't have any other interests. I'm too tunnel visioned. I like to go out and see friends, have family days at the park, that sort of thing, but job-wise there is absolutely nothing else I want to do.

Do you have a schedule (daily or book-long) for writing or do you just go with the flow?

I tend to go with the flow, but I'm pretty focused about finishing my projects.  So while I don't give myself a personal deadline, I feel frustrated if it isn't flowing fast enough for my liking...  That probably makes me a bit of a workaholic!

How about the people and/or animals you share space with. Do they know not to bother you when you are writing, or are there constant interruptions?

My husband is good about giving me my writing space, but my son hasn't figured that out yet.  He HAS learned, however, that if he wants to get a later bedtime, all he has to do is get me writing and I'll lose track of time.  LOL

That is your four-year-old, right? They are so smart! Tell me, if you came with a warning label, what would it say?

"If rash occurs, discontinue use."  :)  I'm only half-way joking.  I get really cranky when I can't get enough writing time in, so when that happens, my husband has learned to point me at my laptop and leave me alone for an evening. ;)

What do you hope readers take away with them after reading your work?

I hope that they'll leave my book with a feeling of hope, a sense that God will work it all out beautifully in his time.  We all long for love and passion, and I truly believe that there is a lid for every pot.  We just have to hang in there.

Do readers ever contact you?

Yes, all the time.  In fact, I love sharing everyday minutia with my readers on Facebook.  I feel like I know them, and I think they feel the same thing in return.  It's a great relationship.

Do your fans comments or questions influence you in any way?

A kind word goes a long way, I have to say.  When someone says something nice about my work, or just a hello, that connection matters to me.  I don't just write for myself, I write for my readers, and knowing that they connected with my work makes it all worthwhile.

Welcome Patty Froese

Tell us a little about Perfect on Paper, to be released April 15, 2012. What is the genre? What is it about?

Perfect on Paper is a modern, Inspirational romance.  It's about a mystery novelist, Anne Stanborough, whose career is waning.  She's frustrated, so when her maiden aunt passes away and leaves her a little bookstore, she takes the opportunity for a fresh start.  The lawyer in charge of her aunt's will is as interesting as he is handsome, but unfortunately, he's also pretty old-fashioned and wants a woman to stay  home and leave the bacon earning to him.  When Anne comes across some clues that suggest that her maiden aunt wasn't so maiden after all, the two of them are pulled together as they sleuth out the story behind the old lady's love... 

The question I'm looking at in this book is, what makes for a lasting love?  How do you know if you're making the right choice?

Is this completely out of imagination, or are there elements of your real life experience in the plot/characters?

All of my books are healthy of mix of my own experience and fiction.  In this book, some of Anne's starving artist experiences in her past are from my life.  I also used some stories from my family history in the town's history.  Sometimes fact is just better than fiction!

How many books have your written? How many have been published?

I've written probably about 15 books, 8 of which have been published.  Every book I write makes me a bit better at what I do. 

Where do you write? Describe your writing space. Anything that helps in the background?

I write at my little roll top desk smack in the middle of my apartment.  I have a four year old boy, so I  need to "supervise" while I write.  I love my little desk, though.  I've had since I was single, and it's gone with me from apartment to apartment.  No matter where I've lived, this is where I wrote.

We will hear more about your family tomorrow. In the meantime, where do you usually hang out on line?

You can always find me on Facebook, but I also update my blog a couple of times a week, so I think I'm pretty easy to find. ;)

http://pattyfroese.com

http://www.facebook.com/pattyfroese

Patty Froese, author of Perfect on Paper, April 15 release

Here is a blurb about Patty's new book  to whet your appetite. Come by April 11 and learn more about this author of Inspirational Fiction.

Anne Stanborough, a well known mystery writer, inherits her maiden aunt's book store, Perfect on Paper. The lawyer handling her aunt's estate is none other than the handsome Jake Harrison, but despite his attraction to the beautiful author, his painful divorce has made him wary of a marriage between two driven professionals. Anne can't let go of the career she's worked her entire life towards, and he isn't willing to make a second mistake in marriage. It looks like they should call the whole thing off until Anne discovers that her late maiden aunt might not have been so "maiden" after all… A love story from the past tugs this couple back together again, but will it be enough to prove that a love founded in God really can overcome anything?