Tips from the Pros: Janet Perez Eckles

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Happy New Year from Sarah Sundin in foggy California. Several years ago I had the joy of meeting Janet Perez Eckles at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, and I was impressed by her humor, warmth, and strength. Today I have the honor of interviewing this accomplished author and speaker. Janet, how did you get into writing? Years ago I wrote my story – for my kids and grandchildren – and self-published it. Quite raw in the writing and also in the marketing arena, I was stunned with reactions from readers. I learned two things: readers don’t care about beginning…

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Tips from the Pros: Daniel Darling

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Merry Christmas from Sarah Sundin! Today I have the honor of interviewing author, pastor, and speaker Daniel Darling. Daniel serves as the senior pastor of the Gages Lake Bible Church outside of Chicago, and is a highly regarded speaker. He also is a frequent contributor to columns and blogs. And yes, he writes books too. Dan, how did you get into writing? How many books do you have published? I’ve been a writer and editor for about twelve years. For several years I worked as an in-house writer and editor for a large Christian media organization. I began freelancing about…

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Tips from the Pros: Rebecca Ondov

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin in California! I pray you had a bountiful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Today I have the honor of interviewing Rebecca Ondov, who turned her extensive experience as a horseback guide and Ranger into the book Horse Tales from Heaven. Rebecca, how did you get into writing? For years I’d been working from the saddle in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana, taking people on horse pack trips. During the winter of 1992 when I was “out of the hills” and working an off-season job, I reached in my mailbox and pulled out a Guideposts magazine….

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Tips from the Pros: Darlene Franklin

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Hello from Sarah Sundin on a crisp November day! Today I have the privilege of interviewing multi-published author Darlene Franklin. Darlene, how did you get into writing? I started writing daily in the wake of my divorce, twenty years ago. My first book was published in 2005. How many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? I have fifteen books in print and five more in process. This fall I’ve had three books published: Lone Star Trail, book 1 in the Texas Trails Series; Christmas at Barncastle Inn, a contemporary Christmas anthology; and Knight…

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Tips from the Pros: Jeanette Windle

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Good day to you from Sarah Sundin! Today I have the honor of interviewing award-winning author, Jeanette Windle. Her most recent novel, Freedom’s Stand, was nominated for the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year, and her novel Veiled Freedom was a finalist for the Christian Book Award and the Christy in 2010.   SS: Jeanette, how did you get into writing? JW: Writing has always been such a part of my life, I can’t remember ever consciously wanting to write. The missionary kid boarding school I attended in the Venezuelan Andes put great emphasis on proper composition (we were doing…

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Tips from the Pros: Susan Titus Osborn

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Hello from Sarah Sundin on a blustery day in northern California. Today I have the honor of interviewing a veteran writing professional, Susan Titus Osborn, author of over thirty books, including several on the craft and business of writing. Susan is also director of the Christian Communicator Manuscript Critique Service, and offers many on-line writing courses on her website. Susan, how did you get into writing? In 1978 while I was teaching Sunday school, I decided to write some stories for the kids. They loved my stories, so I thought I would sell them to church school take-home paper markets. A…

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Tips from the Pros: Donn Taylor

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Good day from Sarah Sundin in northern California, where the fog is almost making it feel like winter. Today I have the privilege of interviewing Donn Taylor, a man with a diverse and impressive list of achievements. Donn led an infantry rifle platoon in the Korean War, served with Army aviation in Vietnam, holds a PhD, taught college-level English literature, writes poetry – oh, and he has two published novels. I told you it was impressive. Donn, how many books do you have published? What are a few of your latest titles? I’ve published two novels and one poetry book. The…

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Tips from the Pros: Ava Pennington

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin, all refreshed from a wonderful writers’ retreat in beautiful Monterey. Today I have the privilege of interviewing author Ava Pennington. Ava’s first book, One Year Alone with God was published by Revell in October 2010, but Ava also has a long list of magazine articles to her credit and two children’s books in the works. Ava, how did you get into writing? I began writing as an extension of a teaching ministry. When I started writing as a serious pursuit, I had a passion to write non-fiction. However, the advice I received was that without a…

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Tips from the Pros: Diana Brandmeyer

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Greetings from Sarah Sundin on a crisp fall day that makes me want to cuddle up in a warm quilt – perhaps like one of the quilts author Diana Brandmeyer features on her website. Not only is she an extraordinary quilter, she’s a gifted writer with plenty to share with us today. Diana, how did you get into writing? Like many, I wrote stories when I was little, but it wasn’t until the birth of my second child I realized I could make a little money and share my faith with my stories. I started writing devotions for children, which…

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Tips from the Pros: Linda Kozar

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Greeting from Sarah Sundin in California, where it’s finally feeling like fall. Today I have the pleasure of interviewing multi-published author, Linda Kozar, who has some seriously clever answers. What do you expect from someone whose latest title is Babes with a Beatitude?  Linda, how did you get into writing? I started out freelancing personal interest stories for various newspapers, earning next to nothing but developing valuable writing skills and learning to work on tight deadlines. Then in 2003, I decided I’d had enough of that stuff and determined to put my efforts toward writing a book.  Of course, the first book I wrote wasn’t…

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