Interview with Lillian Duncan

What message do you hope readers take away from your newest release?

We’re all faced with challenges in this life. Sometimes, we give up too soon and sometimes, we don’t give up when it’s time to. How to know the difference is one of the challenges in life. That’s why it’s important to make God part of your decision making. And that’s the message I’d like people to take away from Small Town Secrets.

You have been writing for many years and are still going strong, but you’ve also branched out a bit. What have you learned from writing in a variety of genres?

That the basics of good writing transcend genre. No matter what genre you write in, you need to be able to tell a story in the most effective way possible. To do that, you need to hone your craft.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

I know it’s going to sound trite, but it really was joining ACFW. I don’t believe I’d have gotten published without all the support and resources available through the group.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

I rarely research before I start writing. I’m definitely a pantser so I sit down and write. When something comes up in the story, that’s the time I do my research.

As writers, we often must be careful of our word count. Sometimes, that means snipping bits of what we write during the revision process. With that being said, what did you edit OUT of this book?

Backstory. Backstory. Backstory! I find that most writers love backstory. After all, that’s the way we get to know our characters. But I’ve learned that once the story’s written, it’s time to go back and cut out most of the backstory and leave only what is truly crucial to the story.

You have found a way to take personal struggle and turn it into blessing through your writing, always pointing readers back to God’s divine purpose and grace in our lives. Can you share a little more about your own personal faith journey?

In 2012 I was diagnosed with a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and bilateral brain tumors. The brain tumors are benign, meaning not cancerous. But they’re definitely not benign in the way they’ve affected my health and my life. As much as I hate my brain tumors, I love how they deepened my relationship with God. I’ve learned to trust him. I’ve learned that he is faithful. I’ve learned to depend on him as the source of my peace and joy.

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

I would have taken more writing courses in college, maybe even majored in English. On the other hand, I loved being a speech pathologist so I probably wouldn’t have changed anything.

You spent a lot of years as an educator and speech language pathologist. Has any of that work or your experiences ever found its way into your novels and stories?

I actually wrote a series where the main character was a speech pathologist—Deadly Communications. It was really fun to include some scenes where the main character did some speech therapy.

Finish this statement: In the future, I will…

Continue writing the stories God gives me!

Any parting words?

When the word Christian is attached to us our to our books, we should always honor God with our actions and our words.



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Today's interviewer Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having an active imagination and a flair for the dramatic. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who works as a homeschool mom and independent contractor, helping others become their best from the inside out. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Kentucky. They have a daughter and son, and 2 cats. She has sold over 25 books so far, three of which have won annual reader's choice awards. She is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. (www.tiffanyamberstockton.com)