Please welcome Jodie Wolfe to my blog. Hello Jodie. Take a seat and we shall chat. 

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

Hi, I’m Jodie. My husband and I have been married for over thirty-two years. We have two sons and six grandchildren. We live in south-central PA. I’ve lived in PA most of my almost 55 years of life.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book? (If you are here as an invite to promo your small business, then please write your own questions and provide relevant photos and links, thank you.)

Writing has been part of my life since that first school assignment when I was in second grade and had to write a poem. Soon after that I started writing little stories and illustrating them. By the time I was thirteen I started writing my first novel. I was reading a lot of Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew mysteries at the time, so that’s what I started to write.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

It took me a few years because I wrote it all in long hand. I’d get busy with other things and put it down for a while, but by the time I reached high school I was in the editing process.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

I came really close to quitting after a horrific scenario I went through. It’s only because of my husband’s constant prayers for me that I didn’t give up.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Reviews are so important to an author. They spend most of their time writing and editing by themselves with the hope that their ‘baby’ will speak to someone. If you loved their story, let them know by posting a favorable review on a consumer site. Tell others about the book. Tag the author with your post so they can see that all their work touched a life.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

Don’t give up. If you have something you’re passionate about and feel God called you to do it, keep plugging along and trust Him with his timing. That’s part my advice as well as one I’ve heard from other writers through the years. I think it applies to anything God calls us to do.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

My target audience is anyone who is in need of encouragement. My prayer is that my books will touch hearts and that the reader will be uplifted by the only one who provides true hope for us, Jesus Christ. My tagline is ‘Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet’, I promise both of those in each of my books.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

I sent my publisher my thoughts in regard to the character, background photo, setup, etc. and she came up with exactly what I’d imagined, but even better.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m working on tweaking the second book in my Burrton Springs Brides series. It doesn’t have a definite title yet, but I’m looking at the possibility of Wooing Annie. Here’s the opening paragraph:

Death paced close enough for Annie McPherson to smell its rotted breath. A menacing growl rumbled in the throat of the beast. The animal bared his teeth when she attempted a tiny step.  Perspiration trickled between her shoulder blades. She cocked her head a fraction of an inch, hoping to spot a bystander, but only a barren street stretched before her. Her heart hammered beneath her polonaise.

Any last words before we wrap things up?

Thanks so much for having me here today. I thought you might like a teaser for Taming Julia. Here’s the back cover blurb.

In 1875, Kansas bachelor Drew Montgomery’s sole desire is to serve God, but his congregation’s ultimatum that he marry or leave, forces him to advertise for a wife by proxy.

Jules Walker strides into Drew’s life wearing breeches and toting a gun and saddle–more cowboy than bride. After years on the trail, she’s not exactly wife material, but she longs for home and family, and will do anything to ensure Drew never discovers what she really is.

Bio

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and COMPEL Training. She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. She’s a contributor and co-founder of Stitches Thru Time blog. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at http://www.jodiewolfe.com.

Links

Purchase Links for Taming Julia:

https://www.amazon.com/Taming-Julia-Jodie-Wolfe-ebook/dp/B083L8MDD5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=taming+julia&qid=1578503989&sr=8-1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-julia-jodie-wolfe/1136004491?ean=9781522302711

https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=37_46&sort=&filter_id=671&alpha_filter_id=0

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jodie_Wolfe_Taming_Julia?id=FH7IDwAAQBAJ

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Amazon Author Page

Please welcome Sherry Ellis to my blog. Good morning, Sherry! I’m happy to have you on my blog today. Shall we get comfortable with a cup of coffee? By the way readers, I met this awesome writer in November 2019 at the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards in Miami, Florida. 

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

Hi, Mary. Thanks for having me as a guest! As my bio states, I am a children’s author with eight published books. I love writing picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade stories. I’m also a musician. I perform, teach, and work as the Executive Director for an orchestra.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I’ve always loved reading. Writing started when I was about 8 years old, but honestly, it never crossed my mind to be an author. My daughter encouraged me to become a published author after hearing one of my stories. She was 3 years old at the time. (Smart daughter you had age three, Sherry!)

How difficult was it writing your first book?

Not difficult at all. In fact, my first book was the easiest. It was a poem that popped into my head while I was sitting with my 3-month-old son in the rocking chair one night. The poem ended up becoming That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN!

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

Yes! I’ve been writing for fifteen years. It took 10 years to see Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China published. Receiving letter after letter of rejections got discouraging. But I gave it one more try and participated in a Twitter pitch. I’m glad I did, because it got picked up by a traditional publisher and has even won several awards.

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

My daughter. She’s eighteen now, but she still encourages me to keep writing and sharing my stories.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

If you have a dream to accomplish something, go for it. Learn what you need to do, work on improving, and never give up.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

I don’t know who told me this, but the best advice regarding writing was to join a critique group. It’s very helpful to get other writers’ thoughts on your work to help you gain a fresh perspective and make improvements.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

My target audience, of course, is kids. My picture books are for kids ages 3-7 and my Bubba and Squirt books are for kids in grades 2-6.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

Dancing Lemur Press, the publisher of my Bubba and Squirt books has an in-house illustrator who is responsible for designing the covers. I don’t offer any input on what the covers should look like, but I do have a chance to review them before the final decision is made. I’m very happy with how the covers turned out.

What are you working on now?

Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m working on more Bubba and Squirt books. The two titles I’m currently writing, and revising are Bubba and Squirt’s City of Bones set in the catacombs of Paris and Bubba and Squirt’s Shield of Athena set in Athens, Greece. The next book which will be released on September 15, 2020 is called Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure. Here’s an excerpt:

        “. . . Then I heard it again. This time, it was closer. Goose bumps covered my arms. I turned.

                And guess what I saw? The Tate Duende! Just as Esperanza had described, with a grizzly beard and hands with no thumbs. He stood on the path next to the banana tree, staring at me with his yellow, beady eyes.

                I bolted. Vines slashed my face as my feet pounded the jungle path. My heart raced. I couldn’t let him catch me. I glanced over my shoulder. For a dude with backward feet, he sure could run fast! He was gaining on me. There was no way I could outrun him.”

Any last words before we wrap things up?

Since most of my books are educational, I’ve created teacher resources and activities. Those can be found on my websites, www.sherryellis.org and http://www.bubbaandsquirt.org. I’m also available to do school author visits.

Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China.

Blurb:

“You can’t dig a hole to China!

Squirt doesn’t believe Bubba can dig a hole to China. But when the hole swallows them, the kids find themselves in Xi’an, China, surrounded by Terracotta Warriors.

It gets worse when the ghost of the first emperor of China appears. He tells them they can’t go home until they find his missing pi. The kids don’t know where to begin until they meet a girl and her grandmother who promise to help find the
pendant.

Soon they realize they are being followed. And they are no closer to finding the missing pi. Will Bubba and Squirt ever make it back home?”

Buy Links:

Amazon     Barnes and Noble    iTunes

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

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