What do you like best about being an author?
The book in my imagination.
When I begin to construct a story, it's always perfect, always
completely delightful, always evocative and humorous by turns. Then, of course, reality sets in and the
problems begin right along with the hard work.
But for those brief moments when the story is shimmering out there
somewhere in the netherworld of creativity, this is the most wonderful job in
the world.
For you what is the best and worst part of the writing
process?
The best part is the set up, where things begin to fall into
place and a story forms. I love setting
the scene, making the characters come alive, planting clues. The worst part is everything that goes with
writing, and mostly because it's so time consuming. Dealing with cover art, waiting for proposals to be okayed,
wincing over the occasional clunky back cover copy, etc.
How many of your books are published?
60 something translated into about 17 languages. I'm never sure whether to count novellas in the total.
Tell us about your series.
Aggie Sloan-Wilcox is a free-spirited minister's wife in a
small, conservative Ohio town. Aggie's
not at all sure this move was a good one for the family, especially when she
finds a dead woman on the family's front porch. But Aggie likes her new role in the community as an amateur
sleuth. Detective work fits nicely
between sorting clothes at the church rummage sale, shepherding her two
daughters through the trials of growing up, holding her husband's hand when
things look bleak from the pulpit, and throwing open houses at the parsonage.
Tell us something about you we don't know?
Well, how about this?
Each of these books is based LOOSELY on an Old Testament story. So far no one has slapped the side of their
head and said "Wait, isn't this a retelling of the story of. .
." And although the books take
place around the life of a liberal church, they are not intended to be
"inspirational." I intend
them to be an interesting look at people living together in community: family,
town and church.
Leave us with some mysterious words of wisdom on writing.
If you can ask "what if" often enough, you're well on your way. Don't take anything at face value. Ask yourself, "what if it had happened this way?" Then just keep asking.
Visit Emilie on her web site!