In addition to possessing a funny, whip-smart pen, Christa Ann Banister has the gift of gab.
She talks. And talks. And she keeps on talking.
Maybe this is in part what separates her from the mighty throng (or small army) of chick-lit writers working today, other than the fact that her dynamite debut novel, Around the World in 80 Dates, is already creating a tidal wave of underground buzz.
That’s right. After years of working as a respected music critic and freelance writer for various Christian publications: CCM Magazine, Crosswalk.com, Christian Single, ChristianityToday.com, not to mention kickstarting the inaugural Christian music blog for MTV’s Urge.com, Christa has inked her first novel about her erstwhile adventures in dating, and she hopes that her story will inspire countless twenty and thirty-somethings in their quest for snagging Mr. Right, even as they hold fast to their Christian values.
Inspired by authors Judy Blume and Jane Austin, and a host of other writers including F. Scott Fitzgerald and C.S. Lewis, Christa tells the tale of Sydney Alexander—a gal who is not shy about life, her faith, or her career as a travel writer. Yet finding her lifelong soul mate proves to be a bit more elusive than she had originally thought.
“In a lot of chick-lit books it seems like the girl’s ultimate goal is to get the guy,” Christa says. “And she wants to get the guy for sure, but she’s very ambitious as well, and she loves life and is willing to try all kinds of different adventures—all without letting go of her Christian values.”
And in answer to the question of whether this romantic roller-coaster is fact or fiction, Christa plays coy: “I’ll have to be honest and say that the experiences that Sydney, the lead character, goes through in the book are very similar to experiences that I’ve had in the past. And of course I had to protect the guilty, so I changed a few names and a few situations, but some of situations were inspired by actual events.”
And the thrust of the book? “Not settling for less than what God has for you,” Christa says. “As you’ll notice throughout the book, Sydney dates a lot of different people and most of the time she knows that they’re not the best choice, but she learns things from the situations, and ultimately she doesn’t settle in anything that she does. She is a person who is committed to sharing her faith with others. She is committed to waiting until marriage to have sex. She is committed to a lot of good things.”
Christa is quick to add, though, that her book is not heavy theology by any stretch. “I want people to have fun reading it. Not everything has to be so serious. I mean, Sydney likes to shop. She name drops some of the brands that she likes. She talks about movies and entertainment and the things that we all know and experience and I want people to be able to laugh and just have a good time reading it, kind of in the same way that I did when I read Bridget Jones’ Diary or The Devil Wears Prada, albeit with a Christian twist.”
In the end, Around the World in 80 Dates is a novel that is full of pluck and wit, and humor, and it is a shoo-in to become a classic for any guy or girl who is in the throes of navigating the pitfalls and quirks of the single life, all without letting go of what they believe.
“Oh, definitely girls in college and maybe even girls out of college will be able to relate with all of the things that Sydney is going through. Guys, too. Basically anyone who has ever been single or gone on a bad date will be able to relate to this book.”
Or in other words, anyone on the planet.
In some ways,” she adds, “it is a how-to manual of what to do and what not to do in terms of dating.”
And with that, Christa stops talking. And almost as an afterthought, she adds with a winning smile: “Everyone should read it.”
Christa lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, Will. They love to play Scrabble and throw darts on a map and dream about going wherever the darts land someday.
They have no pets.
And until her book hits the New York Times bestseller list, Christa is happily employed as a freelance writer for her many, many clients.
Visit Christa Ann Banister online
She talks. And talks. And she keeps on talking.
Maybe this is in part what separates her from the mighty throng (or small army) of chick-lit writers working today, other than the fact that her dynamite debut novel, Around the World in 80 Dates, is already creating a tidal wave of underground buzz.
That’s right. After years of working as a respected music critic and freelance writer for various Christian publications: CCM Magazine, Crosswalk.com, Christian Single, ChristianityToday.com, not to mention kickstarting the inaugural Christian music blog for MTV’s Urge.com, Christa has inked her first novel about her erstwhile adventures in dating, and she hopes that her story will inspire countless twenty and thirty-somethings in their quest for snagging Mr. Right, even as they hold fast to their Christian values.
Inspired by authors Judy Blume and Jane Austin, and a host of other writers including F. Scott Fitzgerald and C.S. Lewis, Christa tells the tale of Sydney Alexander—a gal who is not shy about life, her faith, or her career as a travel writer. Yet finding her lifelong soul mate proves to be a bit more elusive than she had originally thought.
“In a lot of chick-lit books it seems like the girl’s ultimate goal is to get the guy,” Christa says. “And she wants to get the guy for sure, but she’s very ambitious as well, and she loves life and is willing to try all kinds of different adventures—all without letting go of her Christian values.”
And in answer to the question of whether this romantic roller-coaster is fact or fiction, Christa plays coy: “I’ll have to be honest and say that the experiences that Sydney, the lead character, goes through in the book are very similar to experiences that I’ve had in the past. And of course I had to protect the guilty, so I changed a few names and a few situations, but some of situations were inspired by actual events.”
And the thrust of the book? “Not settling for less than what God has for you,” Christa says. “As you’ll notice throughout the book, Sydney dates a lot of different people and most of the time she knows that they’re not the best choice, but she learns things from the situations, and ultimately she doesn’t settle in anything that she does. She is a person who is committed to sharing her faith with others. She is committed to waiting until marriage to have sex. She is committed to a lot of good things.”
Christa is quick to add, though, that her book is not heavy theology by any stretch. “I want people to have fun reading it. Not everything has to be so serious. I mean, Sydney likes to shop. She name drops some of the brands that she likes. She talks about movies and entertainment and the things that we all know and experience and I want people to be able to laugh and just have a good time reading it, kind of in the same way that I did when I read Bridget Jones’ Diary or The Devil Wears Prada, albeit with a Christian twist.”
In the end, Around the World in 80 Dates is a novel that is full of pluck and wit, and humor, and it is a shoo-in to become a classic for any guy or girl who is in the throes of navigating the pitfalls and quirks of the single life, all without letting go of what they believe.
“Oh, definitely girls in college and maybe even girls out of college will be able to relate with all of the things that Sydney is going through. Guys, too. Basically anyone who has ever been single or gone on a bad date will be able to relate to this book.”
Or in other words, anyone on the planet.
In some ways,” she adds, “it is a how-to manual of what to do and what not to do in terms of dating.”
And with that, Christa stops talking. And almost as an afterthought, she adds with a winning smile: “Everyone should read it.”
Christa lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with her husband, Will. They love to play Scrabble and throw darts on a map and dream about going wherever the darts land someday.
They have no pets.
And until her book hits the New York Times bestseller list, Christa is happily employed as a freelance writer for her many, many clients.
Around the World in 80 Dates: Confessions of a Christian Serial Dater
Sydney Alexander is a travel writer. She's a very well-dressed travel writer--hasn't yet met a shoe or clearance sale she could pass up. She's funny. She's got a great relationship with her sis. She's got a hilarious best friend, Rain, who happens to be a hippie. And she's got a wonderful relationship with God. So what's missing?
A decent date. A date where she doesn't have to pay because he's "between jobs." A date where she's not fabulously fashionably ready to go only to learn "the band just got a last-minute gig" and he has to cancel. A date she wants to kiss good night--not run screaming from.
Bridget Jones may have had a few more public disasters (Sydney works in print, not on the telly) and considerably more cigarettes (Sydney doesn't smoke), but really, besides that, their lives aren't so different. She's just a girl looking for love, drowning in a sea of cute couples--and determined to keep swimming!
- ISBN: 160006177X
- Publisher: NavPress
Interview With Christa Ann Banister
Respected music critic and freelance writer, Christa Banister makes her authorial debut in Around the World in 80 Dates: Confessions of a Christian Serial Dater. Inspired by actual events, Christa describes her new book as a story full of pluck, wit, and humor.
Christa, tell us how you came up with the idea of Confessions and a serial dater.
It’s been said time and again that people should write about what they know. And before I met my husband, I had my fair share of relational train wrecks. But instead of kissing dating goodbye, I chose to embrace the madness and had enough hilarious experiences to inspire several books. And thanks to my friend Jesse Butterworth, I took those unfortunate incidents and built a story about them that I hope will inspire people and make them laugh during their respective relationship journeys.
Reflecting back, what do you see as being most significant to your publication journey?
Persistence. When a couple of different publishers didn’t exactly catch my vision for the story the way I’d hoped, I knew I had to keep trying. So I continued tweaking my sample chapters and touching base with publishers until I found the perfect fit at NavPress.
How do you balance your writing and marketing time with other responsibilities?
Since I’m a full-time freelance writer whose livelihood thrives on an abundance of deadlines, this can definitely be tricky. Like anything else worth doing, though, I simply have to make the time. Writing novels is my second full-time job, so it requires putting in very long days. My deadlines, not to mention my marketing, don’t happen by osmosis, so I have to budget time each day to make sure I stay on top of everything. But because I love what I do, it’s a joy (well, most of the time anyway!).
And how does your faith and spiritual life play into the picture?
My faith is the most important component of my life, so it can’t help but color everything I do. So whether I write a novel about relationships or review the latest romantic comedy, my worldview is decidedly rooted in my relationship with Christ. As far as the more practical aspects, I’m probably a little like everyone else who wishes she made a little more time for Bible reading and quiet time. But I will say that spending most of your days in the comfort of your home office does give you plenty of opportunities to talk to God. I know without His constant intervention, I’d never be able to check off everything I have to do in a day.
What has been the highest moment of your writing/publishing career?
There have been so many. Getting hired at CCM Magazine back in 2000 and seeing my first stories in print was definitely one of my highest moments because it was such a dream come true. Traveling to London in 2003 for a CCM cover story on Delirious was certainly another unforgettable experience. And of course, having my first novel published last year was truly mind-blowing. I’ll never forget receiving my first copy in the mail and being in a state of mock disbelief. I’d done all the work, yet I still couldn’t believe I was holding a book I’d written. Simply amazing.
Who/What is your greatest inspiration to write? Where do your story and character ideas come from?
Ever since I was a five-year-old kid reading the Bernstein Bears, I’ve had an unexplainable love and need to write. I guess it’s the way I process what I’m seeing, feeling and experiencing. I’ve always been an avid journaler, and that, combined with a love of words, has always inspired me to put pen to paper. My actual story ideas and characters come from a variety of places—movies I’ve seen, friends of mine, conversations I hear in coffee shops, a little of everything.
What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
A distinct voice. Ever since I started writing for CCM, people have said it’s easy to pick out my writing in a crowd because I have a style and voice that’s all my own. So I try and amp that up in everything I do. Plus, I have a bit of a snarky side, so that definitely provides a different flavor. With Around the World in 80 Dates, I really tried to bring a sense of humor to what’s often a complicated subject: dating. I was deliberate about communicating the subliminal message that Christians can have fun and not resort to trite, sugar-coated answers when life is messy.
What has been your greatest challenge as far as marketing your book and what strategies have you found successful?
There’s never enough time or money to get the word out, is there? I guess that’s been my greatest challenge. But thanks to the Internet, I have been able to promote my book via MySpace, Facebook and ShoutLife, mediums that authors didn’t have before, which has definitely enhanced my book’s Web presence. I’ve also discovered, yet again, the importance of relationships. Everyone from my Starbucks barista to the girl at the counter at UPS knows about my book because of five-minute conversations we’ve had. And good old-fashioned word of mouth is still one of the best ways to get people reading your work.
Finish this question. Writing is like…
…a great love story. It’s all in the little details. While anyone can write functionally enough with decent training and ample practice, truly great writing excels because of a million little decisions that are made along the way.
Any parting words for up-and-coming writers?
I think writing involves three things—a measure of God-given talent, a love of words and a strong work ethic. There are lots of people who want to write a book but don’t want to devote the long hours to developing and honing his/her craft. But I think if you write a little every day, have a persistent, do-whatever-it-takes attitude and thoroughly enjoy what you do, you can have a really great life as a writer.
Thanks for sharing with us, Christa!
Thank you so much for the opportunity!!
Christa, tell us how you came up with the idea of Confessions and a serial dater.
It’s been said time and again that people should write about what they know. And before I met my husband, I had my fair share of relational train wrecks. But instead of kissing dating goodbye, I chose to embrace the madness and had enough hilarious experiences to inspire several books. And thanks to my friend Jesse Butterworth, I took those unfortunate incidents and built a story about them that I hope will inspire people and make them laugh during their respective relationship journeys.
Reflecting back, what do you see as being most significant to your publication journey?
Persistence. When a couple of different publishers didn’t exactly catch my vision for the story the way I’d hoped, I knew I had to keep trying. So I continued tweaking my sample chapters and touching base with publishers until I found the perfect fit at NavPress.
How do you balance your writing and marketing time with other responsibilities?
Since I’m a full-time freelance writer whose livelihood thrives on an abundance of deadlines, this can definitely be tricky. Like anything else worth doing, though, I simply have to make the time. Writing novels is my second full-time job, so it requires putting in very long days. My deadlines, not to mention my marketing, don’t happen by osmosis, so I have to budget time each day to make sure I stay on top of everything. But because I love what I do, it’s a joy (well, most of the time anyway!).
And how does your faith and spiritual life play into the picture?
My faith is the most important component of my life, so it can’t help but color everything I do. So whether I write a novel about relationships or review the latest romantic comedy, my worldview is decidedly rooted in my relationship with Christ. As far as the more practical aspects, I’m probably a little like everyone else who wishes she made a little more time for Bible reading and quiet time. But I will say that spending most of your days in the comfort of your home office does give you plenty of opportunities to talk to God. I know without His constant intervention, I’d never be able to check off everything I have to do in a day.
What has been the highest moment of your writing/publishing career?
There have been so many. Getting hired at CCM Magazine back in 2000 and seeing my first stories in print was definitely one of my highest moments because it was such a dream come true. Traveling to London in 2003 for a CCM cover story on Delirious was certainly another unforgettable experience. And of course, having my first novel published last year was truly mind-blowing. I’ll never forget receiving my first copy in the mail and being in a state of mock disbelief. I’d done all the work, yet I still couldn’t believe I was holding a book I’d written. Simply amazing.
Who/What is your greatest inspiration to write? Where do your story and character ideas come from?
Ever since I was a five-year-old kid reading the Bernstein Bears, I’ve had an unexplainable love and need to write. I guess it’s the way I process what I’m seeing, feeling and experiencing. I’ve always been an avid journaler, and that, combined with a love of words, has always inspired me to put pen to paper. My actual story ideas and characters come from a variety of places—movies I’ve seen, friends of mine, conversations I hear in coffee shops, a little of everything.
What do you think makes your style of storytelling unique?
A distinct voice. Ever since I started writing for CCM, people have said it’s easy to pick out my writing in a crowd because I have a style and voice that’s all my own. So I try and amp that up in everything I do. Plus, I have a bit of a snarky side, so that definitely provides a different flavor. With Around the World in 80 Dates, I really tried to bring a sense of humor to what’s often a complicated subject: dating. I was deliberate about communicating the subliminal message that Christians can have fun and not resort to trite, sugar-coated answers when life is messy.
What has been your greatest challenge as far as marketing your book and what strategies have you found successful?
There’s never enough time or money to get the word out, is there? I guess that’s been my greatest challenge. But thanks to the Internet, I have been able to promote my book via MySpace, Facebook and ShoutLife, mediums that authors didn’t have before, which has definitely enhanced my book’s Web presence. I’ve also discovered, yet again, the importance of relationships. Everyone from my Starbucks barista to the girl at the counter at UPS knows about my book because of five-minute conversations we’ve had. And good old-fashioned word of mouth is still one of the best ways to get people reading your work.
Finish this question. Writing is like…
…a great love story. It’s all in the little details. While anyone can write functionally enough with decent training and ample practice, truly great writing excels because of a million little decisions that are made along the way.
Any parting words for up-and-coming writers?
I think writing involves three things—a measure of God-given talent, a love of words and a strong work ethic. There are lots of people who want to write a book but don’t want to devote the long hours to developing and honing his/her craft. But I think if you write a little every day, have a persistent, do-whatever-it-takes attitude and thoroughly enjoy what you do, you can have a really great life as a writer.
Thanks for sharing with us, Christa!
Thank you so much for the opportunity!!
For more great interviews, visit our Author Interview Archives.