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Interview with Kathy Harris

Kathy Harris moved to Nashville to work in the music industry, which ultimately led to her writing novels. Read on to find out about how she chose her genre and what’s the most challenging part of the books she writes.

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The tagline on your website says “writing to the rhythm of a new song.” Tell us more about what that means to you and your writing.
It has more than one meaning for me. Most importantly, it was inspired by several verses in the Bible that reference “a new song.” For example, Psa. 40:3 (NIV) says, "He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God." And Rev. 14:30 (NIV) says, "And they sang a new song before the throne…"

I see the phrase, a new song, as a metaphor for the redeemed life, and my stories celebrate God’s gift of redemption and second chances.

You've had a career in the music industry. How does that experience make its way into your stories?
I enjoy writing about my hometown of Nashville. Everyone who lives here has a connection to the music business. If you don’t work in music, you probably know someone who does. Or you regularly see a country star at the grocery store. I don’t write much about the glamorous side of the business. I write about the ordinary people and the ordinary moments in their lives.

You had some success selling stories and essays early in your writing career. How did you decide to start writing novels?
I’ve wanted to write books since I was a little girl. About a year after I graduated from college, I moved to Nashville to work in the music industry. Even though I had a full-time job in a music office, I sought out freelance writing jobs because I had the innate desire to write.

For several years, I wrote artist bios and contributed stories and columns to trade and fan magazines. Then life got busy, the years passed, and the books I’d always wanted to write never got written. Until 2001, when I re-dedicated my writing to the Lord, and my lifelong dream of writing books began to materialize.

How did you choose the genre in which you write? And what writers in your genre do you read and admire?
I’ve always read a lot of suspense and romantic suspense, from Frank Peretti to Dee Henderson to Terri Blackstock. Some of my current favorites are Irene Hannon, Patricia Bradley, and Heather Day Gilbert in Christian fiction, and Anthony Horowitz in general fiction. I’m also blessed to work with one of my suspense writing heroes. Ramona Richards is my editor.

What's something challenging about writing romantic suspense?
For me, it’s weaving three distinct threads—the inspirational thread, the romance thread, and the suspense thread—into one story and achieving a satisfying balance between them.

When you're not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I enjoy cooking, gardening, and walking or hiking. I love hanging out with family, friends, and my dog, Gabriel. I also enjoy my marketing job, as I still work full time.

Who has had the biggest impact on your writing journey thus far?
There have been so many people. Many of them were members of my first writers group. When I met them, most were unpublished. Now, almost all of them are multi-published authors.

What are you working on next?
I’m working on the third book in The Deadly Secrets series. Deadly Conclusion will release Fall 2022. It’s the final book in the series, so I’m also thinking a lot about what comes after that.

Any parting words?
I love to encourage people to follow their dreams. If you are called to write, then write, write, write. And don’t be discouraged. God’s timing is always perfect.
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Lisa Bartelt is a child of the flatlands fulfilling her dream of living near mountains in Pennsylvania. She loves reading, writing, and listening to stories—true ones, made-up ones, and the ones in between—preferably with a cup of coffee in hand. Wife, mom of two, writer, ordinary girl, Lisa blogs about books, faith, family, and the unexpected turns of life at http://lisabartelt.com.





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