Terri Thompson loves words creatively woven together to bring truth to life. She has enjoyed magical realism in books and movies since long before it was a recognized genre. Her YA fantasy, Journey to Thélo, won an Ancient Paths Novel Writing contest.
As a trustee for the H. G. Clay Foundation, Terri has the privilege of interacting with many who work for nonprofit organizations. Her new novel, Story Magic, is the first of a three-book series, each of which will include at least one nonprofit organization she has encountered.
Visit Terri Thompson online
Story Magic
Samantha O’Conor Clark lost her belief in story magic long before her husband left. Now it’s all up to her. She must stay in control. In spite of her efforts her daughter is spiraling, and a vicious beast threatens Samantha in her sleep. In the midst of it all, story calls to Samantha. She even thinks she sees Sorchae, the bright fairy from Granddad’s stories. Real or imagined, Sorchae encourages Samantha to write again. When bits of her written words bleed into real life, she’s forced to face the magic. But can she trust it when all may be lost for her daughter? Aisling Clark’s young life has been falling apart. Love must be earned, and she works hard for it, but she’s getting tired. At least her boyfriend really loves her. Running away together will solve both their problems. But when life doesn’t turn out the way she expects, hope is lost. Can the bright ball of energy and light bring her back from the darkness?
- ISBN: 1965352383
- Publisher: Winged Publications
Interview with Terri Thompson 2025
When did you feel called to become an author?
That sounds like it should be a specific time, place and date. For me it has been a long process and a lot of battling along the way. I enjoyed making up stories for my sister and I to play out way back when we were little, probably under 10. I loved writing feature stories for the high school paper, but I didn’t try to write a novel until I was married with three little boys. I was meditating on the last days of Jesus and a story came to my mind about the son of a pharisee and the daughter of the woman caught in the act of adultery. That story is called, Deceiver or King. It’s biblical fiction and I still haven’t had it published yet. I rewrote it a few years ago.
In those early years of writing, I studied the craft, wrote and fought writing off and on. I often felt writing was being selfish, but when I quit, it nagged at me until I started up again. A number of times I felt the Lord saying, yes, this is what he has for me. I’d take courage for a while and then doubt it again. I share all this so that if someone else struggles with the same thing they might be encouraged.
In the last few years, I’ve had the freedom in my schedule to pursue writing and I’ve determined to stick to it. I’m so thankful to be able to live out this dream and accept it as a calling.
What did you learn while writing this book?
I learned a lot about Irish children’s stories, fairies and leprechauns. I learned about dragons and a few Irish words to throw into the novel.
During this process I also learned more about how my brain works. I do better with short bursts of writing time with short breaks between. I learned more about consistency in my schedule. I also had to say no to a good ministry opportunity at church. I was torn but am glad I stuck to the book this time.
I learned to run to the Lord when I couldn’t figure out the plot, and I pray I will remember this lesson as I start into book number two.
What is the toughest part of writing in your genre?
I guess that would be tying all the threads together, making sure I didn’t leave some vital piece of connection out. I guess that would be difficult in any genre, but I really want to make the magic connect to the emotional and spiritual arc of the characters.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
That’s always a fun question. Recently they’d see things like “How to prepare for a booksigning,” and “Booksellers in my area.” But during the writing of Story Magic it was more about Irish names, words and legends. The process police go through when they find a minor who has run away. Pictures of and culture in Connemara Ireland. Highways and stops between Daphne, AL and New Orleans. . . Well, you get the picture. The list goes on and on.
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?
Madeleine L’Engle. Definitely. A Christian writer of wonderful fantasy and also the author of the book that has helped me cling to my calling as a writer in the last couple of years, Walking on Water.
I would first of all thank her for all she did and wrote for authors. Then I think I’d like to walk in the garden where she often walked and prayed and ask her to pray for me.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Hot tea, always. Green, Oolong or Black, but it must be loose-leaf. And lots of water.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Believe more. Worry less.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
Baking sourdough, blending essential oils and reading, of course.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
I just finished Tosca Lee’s Iscariot. Wow. But I love anything that woman writes. I’m rereading Makoto Fujimura’s “Art + Faith,” and I highly recommend it. I think I’m behind on Michelle Griep’s novels and would love to catch up on those soon as well.
What can we look forward to next?
Winged Publications asked me to write two more books to follow Story Magic, so I’m working on book two in which the main character will be kidnapped and taken into a trafficking ring. She will end up at Camille Place, an organization that takes in and mentors young women coming out of trafficking situations. The POV character in Story Magic was a story teller/writer. The light came to her through her writing. This POV will be an artist who sees the light in her drawings between the shading.
That sounds like it should be a specific time, place and date. For me it has been a long process and a lot of battling along the way. I enjoyed making up stories for my sister and I to play out way back when we were little, probably under 10. I loved writing feature stories for the high school paper, but I didn’t try to write a novel until I was married with three little boys. I was meditating on the last days of Jesus and a story came to my mind about the son of a pharisee and the daughter of the woman caught in the act of adultery. That story is called, Deceiver or King. It’s biblical fiction and I still haven’t had it published yet. I rewrote it a few years ago.
In those early years of writing, I studied the craft, wrote and fought writing off and on. I often felt writing was being selfish, but when I quit, it nagged at me until I started up again. A number of times I felt the Lord saying, yes, this is what he has for me. I’d take courage for a while and then doubt it again. I share all this so that if someone else struggles with the same thing they might be encouraged.
In the last few years, I’ve had the freedom in my schedule to pursue writing and I’ve determined to stick to it. I’m so thankful to be able to live out this dream and accept it as a calling.
What did you learn while writing this book?
I learned a lot about Irish children’s stories, fairies and leprechauns. I learned about dragons and a few Irish words to throw into the novel.
During this process I also learned more about how my brain works. I do better with short bursts of writing time with short breaks between. I learned more about consistency in my schedule. I also had to say no to a good ministry opportunity at church. I was torn but am glad I stuck to the book this time.
I learned to run to the Lord when I couldn’t figure out the plot, and I pray I will remember this lesson as I start into book number two.
What is the toughest part of writing in your genre?
I guess that would be tying all the threads together, making sure I didn’t leave some vital piece of connection out. I guess that would be difficult in any genre, but I really want to make the magic connect to the emotional and spiritual arc of the characters.
If someone were to look at your Google search history (all for research of course!), what types of things would we find?
That’s always a fun question. Recently they’d see things like “How to prepare for a booksigning,” and “Booksellers in my area.” But during the writing of Story Magic it was more about Irish names, words and legends. The process police go through when they find a minor who has run away. Pictures of and culture in Connemara Ireland. Highways and stops between Daphne, AL and New Orleans. . . Well, you get the picture. The list goes on and on.
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?
Madeleine L’Engle. Definitely. A Christian writer of wonderful fantasy and also the author of the book that has helped me cling to my calling as a writer in the last couple of years, Walking on Water.
I would first of all thank her for all she did and wrote for authors. Then I think I’d like to walk in the garden where she often walked and prayed and ask her to pray for me.
What’s your go-to drink while writing?
Hot tea, always. Green, Oolong or Black, but it must be loose-leaf. And lots of water.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Believe more. Worry less.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
Baking sourdough, blending essential oils and reading, of course.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
I just finished Tosca Lee’s Iscariot. Wow. But I love anything that woman writes. I’m rereading Makoto Fujimura’s “Art + Faith,” and I highly recommend it. I think I’m behind on Michelle Griep’s novels and would love to catch up on those soon as well.
What can we look forward to next?
Winged Publications asked me to write two more books to follow Story Magic, so I’m working on book two in which the main character will be kidnapped and taken into a trafficking ring. She will end up at Camille Place, an organization that takes in and mentors young women coming out of trafficking situations. The POV character in Story Magic was a story teller/writer. The light came to her through her writing. This POV will be an artist who sees the light in her drawings between the shading.
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