ANOTHER ACW ICON!

 

ANOTHER ACW ICON: INTERVIEW

Below are just a few  of the questions I asked Author Donna!

Your Favourite Things:

1.     What’s your favourite literary movie?

“Babette’s Feast”. It’s a beautifully made movie, but the thing that knocked me off my feet the first time I saw it was that when all these cold, squabbling people gathered around all this amazing food and drink they found togetherness and healing and it just hit me—“This is Eucharist!”

2.     What’s your favourite hot drink?

Tea! Especially Yorkshire Gold loose with just a little milk (almond because I’m allergic to dairy)

3.     What’s your favourite hobby or leisure?

Gardening. After a day of writing at my desk I love to go out to my rose garden and enjoy the scent and beauty and feel the sun warm on my head. So relaxing. So close to God. And, of course, reading. I love settling down with a good novel. The irony for most writers is that we came to writing because we loved reading, but writing leaves us so little time to read.

4.     Who’s your favourite African author?

You are! I’ll confess I haven’t read many, but even if I had, you would still make my short list because your voice feels so authentic. Also, your poetry is beautiful. I should add that I realize Alexander McCall Smith is Scottish, but I do love the Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency series.

5.     Where’s your favourite holiday destination?

Same as my favourite work destination—England. Whether researching an old Celtic saint for a book, attending a Jane Austen event, or sitting in a tea shop, it always feels “right.”

Your Christian Life:

6.     What does it mean to you to be a Christian writer?

Sharing the most important aspect of my life, by trying to tell stories that will inspire and uplift people, by reflecting the Truth of God.

7.     What would readers find in your books that reflect Christ?

I hope everything! I try to write authentically from who I am so I hope my worldview and belief in the validity of the Christian faith comes through my stories.

8.     What scripture appeals to you the most? 

My favourite books of the Bible are the Psalms, the Gospel of John, and the book of Isaiah.

9.     Do you think Christian writing should always be ‘clean’?

I have read books that reflected strong Christian themes that wouldn’t be accepted in most church libraries. I wouldn’t say those weren’t Christian books. My books, however, are clean because that’s the world I know and want to reflect.

10.                         What Christian themes do you raise in your writing?

Different books or series have different themes. For example: The Grace of God is an important theme in Glastonbury, The Novel of Christian England, which is my flagship work. The importance of preserving our heritage and traditions is one of the themes of The Monastery Murders. My appreciation of what others endured to keep the faith for us is an element of the Where There is Love series.

Your Writing Career/ Achievement:

11.                         I see that ‘Glastonbury: the story of Christian England’ written in 2016 has 300 reviews!!! Wow, that’s a great dream for many authors still counting in tens!! Can you share any tips to help other writers who would like their books to count to hundreds like yours?

Hold on and keep on promoting. Glastonbury was first published in 1992. It has been reprinted 4 times by 3 different publishers. That’s a lot of time for different promotions and for word of mouth to build up. Overnight success does happen for some, but I think endurance is a far more frequent story.

12.                        How many books have you written to date?

About 50, I think. I’m never quite sure how to count because there are so many rewritten new editions.

13.                         Have you ever won a local or external literary prize?

The very first, in 1983 was being named Writer of the Year at the Mount Hermon Writers’ Conference—I’ll never forget the thrill. My first category romance Greengold Autumn was named runner-up for Best Inspirational Romance in 1985. Those early awards are important because they provided affirmation for an uncertain beginner. Since then, there have been many including: Glastonbury, The Banks of the Boyne, and The Fields of Bannockburn all received First Place honours in Historical Fiction from the National Federation of Press Women; and many others, such as a Silver Angel and Pinnacle Award, and Idaho top Author. My most recent have been awards from the National Federation of Press Women and a Book Excellent Award for books in my Celtic Cross series.

For the full interview, please visit “Chat with Sophia” on my website:

https://bit.ly/3isgPDc