Find a Christian store

Interview with Meghann Whistler

Author Meghann Whistler loves writing sweet stories that won’t make your grandmother blush. Her goal in writing is to inspire and encourage others with stories of overcoming challenges and finding happy endings. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, jamming out to Christian rock music, playing with her three kiddos, or relaxing with her rocket scientist husband.

* * * * *

What prompted you to write The Billionaire’s Secret?
I’m a character-driven writer, and the hero of this book reached in and grabbed me by the heart! I simply had to tell his story.

Ryan is a man who’s struggling to come to terms with a chronic, incurable medical diagnosis. Even though his financial standing makes him powerful, his health crisis leaves him feeling powerless, and exploring the juxtaposition of those two things was very intriguing for me.

I enjoyed writing about Ryan’s struggle, and I especially enjoyed writing about his spiritual journey, which readers have said is “powerful.”

What made you decide to publish this book yourself?
My debut novel, Falling for the Innkeeper, was published by Harlequin’s Love Inspired line in July 2020. In between writing books for Love Inspired, I had the idea for this story. Since Love Inspired doesn’t publish billionaire books, I decided to publish this one myself!

What did you learn during the self-publishing journey?
I learned a lot about book marketing! I also learned that readers don’t care who publishes a book as long as it’s a great story.

What message do you hope readers take away from The Billionaire’s Secret?
This book was inspired by 2 Corinthians 12:9, so the idea that “God’s grace is sufficient for me” is what I hope readers take away from the experience of reading The Billionaire’s Secret.

Where we are weak, He is strong. Instead of being ashamed of our weaknesses, we can choose to put them in God’s hands and then rejoice in His power.

How do your faith and spiritual life play into the picture and affect your storytelling?
I have personally experienced God’s redeeming power in my life, and I love writing about how He changes hearts and minds.

When I started writing fiction again in 2018 after a fifteen-year hiatus, I gravitated to Christian fiction because the spiritual arc of the characters adds so much richness and depth to the storylines.

If you could have coffee with an author, dead or alive, whose work you admire, who would that be? What would you ask him or her?
That’s such an interesting question! I’d love to meet Anne McCaffrey, because she wrote science fiction at a time when the genre was dominated by male writers and readers. I love that she flouted the conventions of the day to write books—and female characters—that are layered and relatable.

I’d like to ask her about her world-building process, and how she kept all the details straight over more than 20 books!

What’s your go-to snack while writing?
I actually don’t snack while I’m writing—it’s too distracting for me!

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
I spent a lot of time and energy when I was younger trying to fix a personal problem by focusing my attention on the problem. I’d tell my younger self to “let go and let God,” and put my energy into moving forward in other areas of my life.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?
There are about a million books on my TBR list, but the one I’m most excited about is Jody Hedlund’s Never Leave Me. I read the first book in the series last year, and I thought it was unique and compelling. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

What can readers look forward to next from you?
I have two new books coming out this year: The Billionaire’s Secret Son, which is the next book in my Sweet Boston Billionaires series, as well as a new Love Inspired book set on Cape Cod!

The Billionaire’s Secret Son comes out June 29, and my new Love Inspired book, The Baby’s Christmas Blessing, comes out September 27.
_____________________________
Jessica Baker loves sharing her passion for reading with others and connecting readers with authors. In addition to blogging at A Baker’s Perspective, Jessica is a virtual assistant, proofreader, and runs her own business. Though she wishes she had a library like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jessica realizes the importance of sharing her books with the world to tell the story, and donates many books to her local library. Jessica Baker lives Central New York with her husband, teenage daughter, beagle, three cats, and four ducks.




For more great interviews, visit our Author Interview Archives.

ACFW Members, click here to apply for an author interview!


Developed by Camna, LLC

This is a service provided by ACFW, but does not in any way endorse any publisher, author, or work herein.