Author Interview: June Foster

Hi, and thanks for your willingness to appear on my blog! I’m looking forward to sharing your knowledge and advice with the rest of the world (at least with the small portion of it that follows my blog). Please tell us a little about yourself.

As a mother, grandmother, and Christian, I never expected to find a story lurking in my head and begging to be told at my age—65. As a retired teacher, I figured I’d be destined for the knitting needles and rocking chair. Not so. God had another plan. To date I’ve written eleven inspirational romances and am working on number twelve. I’m published both traditionally and independently.

Why did you start writing?

There’s a very simple answer to this question. I knew the story that dwelled in my heart had to be told. I couldn’t not write it.

How did you start writing?

About the time my characters started talking to me, my husband and I planned to travel in our RV full time. I purchased a Toshiba laptop, a Sprint air card, and as many “how to” books about writing fiction as I could pack into our little home.

How did you select your genre?

The genre selected me. The story in my head was a romance between two characters— a Christian woman and a man who belonged to a non-Christian cult which mirrored Christianity. Today this story is published—For All Eternity. Now I knew what kind of stories the Lord would place on my heart. Romances where one or both of the characters faced the challenges the everyone tackles in today’s world. With one exception. My Christian characters find victory through the power of God and His word.

What is your writing day like?

I have a great space in our RV to write – at the kitchen table. If we’re not en route somewhere, I work on my WIP for a couple of hours then take care of the marketing tasks. Depending on deadlines, I generally spend as much time on odds and ends as I do my manuscript—which I wish wasn’t the case, but establishing a presence on the web is important. 

How do you organize your writing (outlines/note cards/post-its)?

Since we’re back on the road, I haven’t decided what approach I’ll take with my new book. This method I used with my last book while we were still in our home in Alabama. It worked very well with Almond Street Mission, soon to be published. So here’s what I did. In the past, I’ve always been a plotter. With Almond Street, I decided to try seat of the pants. I knew what my story was about and how it would end. But as I wrote, I jotted down ideas on post-its. I had a bulletin board on my wall which was divided into 4 sections. I designated the chapter divisions on each section. For example, 1-8, 9-16, 17-24, and 25-32. As I got ideas, I tacked the post-it note up on the correct section. I’m amazed that tons of ideas popped up on the board which I could discard or use.

What’s the most surprising thing a character has “told you?”

Okay, brace yourself. That he’s gay. My book Ryan’s Father is about a young man, now a committed Christian, who discovers same sex tendencies. The first time I heard someone say a character told them something, I scratched my head. But now I understand. Characters have a way to  make themselves known in our stories.

Do you have a list of characters that you’re saving for future use? What kind of information do you keep on these characters?

I have a list of characters in my files for future reference. From time to time, an idea for a story pops into my mind, and I jot it down. I’d love to write all these stories but I’m not sure that will happen. Here’s three from my long list. 1. A maid in a large Seattle hotel shares the Lord with the manager. 2. A construction worker’s wife dies leaving him with a new born baby 3. A pastor’s church closes down from lack of attendance and he’s discouraged. Of course each story will feature romance.

What does your work space/office look like?

I was blessed to have a large bedroom that I converted to an office upstairs in our house. But now I have to work in my RV. Believe it or not, the kitchen table which is actually a built-in booth is more comfortable than my office chair back home. I have plenty of cabinet space over the booth and keep my writing materials there.

What is your go-to snack when writing?

Uh, oh. Must I confess I snack when writing? Since I’m trying to lose weight, I try to stick with sugarless gum, but sometimes Chex mix finds its way to my writing area.

If you could only recommend one NOVEL, what would it be? Why?

This question seems impossible to me. I don’t think I can name only one. The best I can do is say I’d recommend The Left Behind Series by LaHaye and Jenkins . I remember reading each book in the series in a couple of sittings. They are fascinating, well written, and give the reader a fictionalized idea of what the end times may look like.

If you could only recommend one CRAFT book (writing, no crocheting), what would it be? Why?

That’s easy. It would be Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. When I first began writing, I had no idea how to plot a book. James Scott Bell gives practical instructions and helps including many charts and graphs. I organize each chapter with his LOCK method. L= lead character, O=Objective C=conflict K= the kicker.

Thank you so much for appearing on my blog! Have a blessed day!

Thank you so much, as well, Karin.

—

Emily Eason wants to distance herself from her parents’ opulent lifestyle in Birmingham, Alabama, and enjoy life in the rural village of Raccoon Creek and her fifties-style home. But after gazing into the little snow globe she purchased from Hardwicke’s Drugs and Gifts, she finds herself transported to another time—her grandmother’s era.

Lance Hardwicke is the pharmacist and owner of Hardwicke’s Drugs. Four years of pharmacy school didn’t allow for much of a social life. Gorgeous Emily Eason, nurse and resident of Raccoon Creek, has captured his attention. The next time she comes in the store, he’s determined to ask her out. Maybe take her to Birmingham to see the Christmas lights in his brand new orange and white ’53 Pontiac Pathfinder.

Can love span the fifty-year gap standing between them?

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