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Interview With Kathleen Denly

Award winning author of Chaparral Hearts, Kathleen Denly joins us for this author interview. Welcome, Kathleen. And congratulations on your new release, Shoot at the Sunset, which just released on April 9, 2024!

What inspired you to write for your particular audience and genre?


I had been reading Redeeming Love, All Together in One Place, and various Janette Oak books at the time I began writing my first Christian fiction novel. So, I would say that had a lot to do with my choice to write novels set in 1800s America. The choice to focus on California came from living most of my life in this state and noticing that not many other novels had been set in this time and place.


What did you learn along the way to publication that made it click for you? Or, had the biggest impact on your success?

The thing that I believe had the biggest impact on my success was attending Christian writers conferences where I learned more about my craft and industry, as well as connected with other writers and professionals in the industry.


Are you a plotter or a pantser? Tell us about that.

I say I'm a plaster. I do outline but need to be careful not to go too far with the outline details or else I risk killing the joy of discovery that is key to my creative flow.


Where do your story and character ideas come from?

Many places. I often find inspiration through Bible study. Other times I find it in my historical research or from visiting a local historical site.


How do you go from a story nugget to a fleshed out plot and characters?

This is different with each novel, but in general: I begin with a premise and flesh it out with historical research. I use both digital and analog tools for writing out ideas and scene outlines.


Personally, I'd love to know which digital and analog tools you use. Would you be willing to share a bit more detail?

I use both digital and analog tools for writing out ideas and scene outlines. My analog tools include white boards, index cards, sticky notes, character sheets (I have created my own), and journals. I also use programs like Scrivener, Plottr, Aeon Timeline, Microsoft Publisher and, of course, Microsoft Word. Plottr replaces index cards for creating scene cards and character sheets. Aeon Timeline is especially helpful with writing books that have dual storylines where the characters are in different locations but eventually meet up, or where their actions directly affect each other even while apart. It also helps me keep my fictional events in line with actual historical events. Microsoft Publisher is a great tool for creating family trees or relationship webs.


How do you approach the first big edit after the manuscript is complete?

I rarely have a big macro edit, but I guess my approach is to compare what I wrote with genre expectations, good fiction outlines, and good character development checklists. This helps me to see where I may have gaps in the story or may have spent too much time on a subplot.


Can you tell us where to find these expectations, which outlines and character checklists you use?

The genre expectations are just in my head as a conglomeration of everything I have learned over the years, but it is easy enough to Google a particular genre and find a list of reader expectations for that genre. The fiction outlines I use are a combination of parts from different writing craft books, courses, and YouTube series I have studied. For example, I watched both the Fiction Technician (Jane Kalmes) and A.N. Sage on YouTube to help me with plotting my first cozy mystery romance, A Christmas at Hotel del Coronado (releasing Fall 2024). I also like resources by K.M.Weiland and James Scott Bell, as well as The Story Equation by Susan May Warren and Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes and Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody.


What advice would you give to new authors, or authors who are not new, but have struggled to keep at it in the face of obstacles?

Talk to writers further along in the journey. Ask about the hurdles they encountered and how they overcame them. Ask for advice on your particular journey and then take that advice to God for discernment.


Who is/are your favorite authors? Whose work would you love to mimic?

Some of my favorite authors are Tara Johnson, Crystal Caudill, Rachel Fordham, Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Sondra Kraak, Misty Beller, Erica Vetsch, Kristi Ann Hunter, Carolyn Miller, Kara Swanson, and Regina Jennings, to name a few. My work has been compared (by reviewers) to Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, and Misty Beller.


What is the funniest thing that happened to you as an author? Or, do you have any quirks that you do or eat/drink during writing blocks?

I like to act out action scenes--especially fight scenes. It helps me get into the characters' heads and to describe the action well.


What are you working on now?

Right now, I am waiting for the editor's notes on A Christmas at Hotel del Coronado, a novella for the Romance at the Gilded Age Resorts multi-author series. I am also currently working on book six of my Chaparral Hearts series, Call in the Canyons.


Thank you, Kathleen, for sharing your writing life with us. And congratulations again on your new release, Shoot at the Sunset!


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Terri Thompson is an author, foodie, nature lover and philanthropist. She loves walks along the beach at sunset, dancing in the living room with her grandchildren, the beauty of flavors expertly combined, and the joy of words creatively knit together to bring truth to life. She blogs about writing, life and inspiration at www.terrilynnthompson.com To learn about the non-profits supported by the H. G. Clay Foundation go to https://www.hgclayfoundation.org.




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