When I Was Just a Kid...Colleen Coble

When Colleen was just a kid, she wanted to be a Latin teacher. But if you think about it, it makes sense. She loves words. Period. Latin is the basis of much of our culture and words. Colleen conveys culture and words--in her own special way.

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles. So, if you think about it, long and hard, she went beyond her wildest dreams by writing her way into authorship.

Her over thirty novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA award, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best awards. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.

And her eyes light up when she talks about her publishers, her career, but especially the words--the writing. She is not a self-centered, selfish, holing-up-in-her-lair type, either. Oh, no. She is a whirlwind of relationships--from family to friends to readers to professionals to geocachers (that last one the result of research for her book,Abomination, which was recently released.)

She lends out helpful advice for writers in the American Christian Fiction Writers organization and has won Mentor of the Year two years running, 2004 and 2005 (This year's award will be announced in September at the national convention.)She loves working with new writers as her schedule allows.

Here's a recent list of the awards Colleen's own writing has garnered:
AWARDS:
2004 More Than Magic winner for Best Inspirational Romance
Without a Trace, Thomas Nelson
2004 American Christian Fiction Writers Mentor of the Year Award
2005 American Christian Fiction Writers Mentor of the Year Award
2006 National Readers' Choice Award - Inspirational
Distant Echoes, Thomas Nelson
2006 American Christian Fiction Writers Overall Book of the Year
Distant Echoes, Thomas Nelson
2006 American Christian Fiction Writers Suspense Book of the Year
Distant Echoes, Thomas Nelson
2006 American Christian Fiction Writers Short Contemporary Book of the Year
Shadow Bones, Steeple Hill Suspense



Let's find out what Colleen had to say about her childhood:

Childhood Ambition: To be a Latin teacher. LOL

Fondest Memory (then): Hula hooping down the steps along the hillside of my home

Proudest Moment: The day each of my children were born.
Biggest Challenge as a child or teen: Learning to talk to boys. LOL(Crystal Editor's Note: Not only did she get over that "talking to boys" thing--she has Dave to prove it--but she is not afraid to talk to anyone. I have stories...)


My First Job: I was an aide at a nursing home. It lasted all of one day. LOL Looking back, I often wish I'd stuck it out. The experience would have come in handy when I was caring for my grandpa during his colon cancer.

Childhood indulgence: Whoppers Malted Milk Bars

Favorite clothing as a child: Buster Brown shoes

Favorite Childhood Movie: The Miracle Worker

Favorite Childhood Book: Bambi's Children

Childhood hero: Paul McCartney


My Pet Hero: Lassie

As you can see, many things here influenced her writing today.
RITA finalist Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Indiana and is generous about her discoveries and life. Recently, she found a way to alleviate the numerous occurences of her migraines, and logged her experience and sources on her web site. If you, too, experience migraines and are finding no relief, try checking what she has to say.

She is the author of Abomination, The Lonestar Sanctuary, The Rock Harbor Series, The Aloha Reef Series, and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. Visit her website to see descriptions and a multitude of recommendations for her friends' books--you'll never lack for something to read here.
To see a list of Colleen's books published by Thomas Nelson, go here.

Abomination

A serial killer mutilates his victims, leaving the bodies at various geocaching sites with obscure religious references. When the killer targets Eve Andreakos, a woman he holds responsible for his wife's death, she barely escapes with her life. Eve flees to Rock Harbor with 2 year old Keri. Eve has just begun to relax when she and her friend Bree stumble on a mutilated body at a geocaching site. Eve knows the killer has found her again. Events spiral out of control when her ex-husband shows up and her long lost sister appears. Before it's all over, Eve will need to reach inside and find the strength to fight back before the killer destroys everything she loves. To read an excerpt go to this Christian Book store site.

Lonestar Sanctuary

Allie Siders is a mom desperate to help her daughter, Betsy, speak again as they struggle to escape from a stalker looking for revenge. She has a specific sanctuary in mind—the peaceful Bluebird Ranch, in the blue-bonnet blanketed Texas hills. Betsy hasn’t spoken a word in months and Allie is determined to do everything in her power, including giving up her dream of winning the barrel racing championship, to find a safe haven for both of them and help Betsy heal.

You can only get Lonestar Sanctuary through the book club, Crossings.

Colleen herself is a voracious reader and believes firmly in writing books you would like to read. Colleen says,"Write what you read. This is a pet peeve of mine. I can’t begin to tell you how many manuscripts I’ve looked at for aspiring writers who are trying to write something they don’t like to read. It never works! There’s something about reading that helps you learn to write. You subconsciously pick up how to structure scenes and the tension and conflict necessary to write in your favorite genre. What works in suspense doesn’t work in chick lit."

Good advice to heed, if you are an aspiring writer!

To find out more about Colleen you can check out her blog that she writes with author friends, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter and Kristin Billerbeck.




Go to this site to see an online interview with Colleen Coble and Lori Wick being interviewed on the internet program "Deeper Living."

When I Was Just a Kid...Diann Hunt

When I Was Just a Kid...Diann Hunt

Be Sweet!

When I first met Diann, we were in a college class with a bunch of "kids" learning to write fiction. She was working on romance, and I was working on children's fiction, articles and book reviews. We both had kids the same age, or near the same age as our classmates. It was quite the experience! But we had a great time.

Diann has now successfully published her fiction and found her unique voice, publishing with companies such as Thomas Nelson, Barbour, Heartsong and Steeple Hill (Harlequin.)Her fiction is targeted to women of the Baby Boomer generation. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate. (Good thing Nestle's is building a factory near here,although I hear she is partial to DeBrand's in Ft.Wayne, Indiana.)

When I asked her if she would answer some questions about her childhood for this column, she gave me really short and sweet answers. But lately, on her blog (the one she writes with authors and close friends: Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter and Kristin Billerbeck) I found out she's been holding out the best stories about her childhood and maybe she had a chocolate overload, or maybe it's because she's been couped up at home lately, but she's been spilling stuff there. So, I dug up some posts that speak about her past.

Here's one from when she found out that she has a lung infection recently:

"Turns out the boy in my first grade class was right. I do have cooties."
And then, here's one where she admits her "past:"
From Tuesday, June 12, 2007

"Some of us have a past.


For some reason a childhood memory came to me this morning. Something I’m not necessarily proud of, but it’s there just as big as you please.


See, I have—um, HAD a huge crush on Kurt Russell. While in the third grade, my “friend” came over for a visit. We talked about whatever it is that third graders talk about and then it happened. She spotted the humongous poster of Kurt Russell’s face on my bedroom wall. She started teasing me about it, which I didn’t, well, appreciate. One thing led to another and suddenly things turned ugly. Did I mention she had a banana in her hand?


The next thing I know, we’re calling each other names and she takes a hunk of banana and smears it on Kurt’s face. All at once, time stands still. My thoughts turn dark. Very dark.


In the distance, a dog barks.


Springing into action, I wail into her so fast she doesn’t know what hit her. What follows is somewhat of a blur.


Rest assured that I paid dearly. I lost my poster and had to do time. Sometimes being young and in love isn’t pretty. "

And Diann has spent a lot of time in the principal's office!!!! (the shock of it all):


Wednesday, June 06, 2007


"School’s out for the summer! Okay, don’t hit me!

As you know my husband is an elementary school principal."

And she came clean about why she likes to write--you knew it--it all goes back to her childhood:

Friday, June 01, 2007

"You know, sometimes I wonder where my love for writing began. For me, I think it all started with Colorforms.

...

Childhood play is so much more than mere play. It’s a world of make believe. There may be fast cars, aliens or dragon-infested motes to cross, or it may be a world of fairies and princesses where knights-in-shining armor stand ready to free their damsel in distress. Who knew when I was having imaginary tea with my dolls that stories of women and friendships were beginning to take root?

One thing I love about writing? It allows me to be a kid again. To enjoy the wonder of story, a world created during my “play time.” When my husband comes home at the end of the day I say things like, 'I was in Siesta Key today. Maggie got her hair done in cornrows and then the girls buried all but her head beneath the sand.' My husband gives me that knowing grin, pulls me into a warm embrace and tingles cover me from head to toe. I think it’s because he’s holding me, but my fingers feel for the notebook and pen in my pocket, just in case a story is forming . . . . "

So, Diann tells a lot in her blog about her past. But here are a few more things that shaped her into the wonderful writer and person she is, complete with humor and chocolate!

Childhood Ambition: To be a wife, mother and to be a secretary (because they're so organized, and I'm totally not.)


Fondest Memory (then): Sunday drives in the country with my family


Proudest Moment (now or then): When our first grandchild was born


My First Job: Secretary in a real estate office


Childhood indulgence: Chocolate (big surprise, huh?) Okay, non-food? Let's see, it would have to be throwing empty cans at bats. Hey, they might come after my chocolate!

(Crystal Editor Note: WHAT???!! Now this is a first for the Chat 'n' Chew Cafe' that I want to note here--throwing empty cans at bats??! Holy empty can, Batman!)

Favorite Outfit as a child: A red and white fluffy skirt and white blouse (had to buy it for a square dancing program)



Favorite Childhood Movie: In Search of the Castaways



Favorite Childhood Book: Lad, A Dog




Childhood hero: My grandma



Childhood dream trip (did you go in a RV?? RV we there yet??): The only trip we took as a family was to Montana when I was a teenager. But no RV. It was a Cadillac and hotels all the way! :-)

Check out some of Diann's books. This month, her book, Be Sweet comes out. And if you have a book club and would like for Diann to talk to your group via phone, go to her web site to set this up. And I'd keep an eye on her blog--she is more interesting than a certain hotel heiress when it comes to having a "past!"






Hot Tropics & Cold Feet: Four women take a trip to Siesta Key for girl fun and come home to changed lives.

Be Sweet

A successful businesswoman heads back home to help the family during maple syrup season and discovers sticky things about her family--and herself--that she never thought possible.
Baby Boomer sisters Charlene and Jani heard it all their lives growing up: "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." And, "Be sweet now, hear?"

It's maple syrup season in Tappery, Michigan, and Char has joined Jani in their hometown to help with the syrup harvest. Turns out after all these years, Char's still trying--unsuccessfully--to be sweet, and Jani's stuck to her own syrupy impulses. As Char's old flame tries to light up her nights and Jani's husband begins to grate on her hot-flashing nerves, the sisters rally, knowing if they can weather midlife together, victory will be sweet!