Friday, December 11, 2015

Interview with Christian Author Kay Edwards



Today, I have the honor of introducing you to one of my dearest friends: Kay Edwards. We met one another thirty years ago at Delaware Run Wesleyan Church in Watsontown, Pennsylvania and have remained in contact over the years. She has recently self-published two Christian fiction novels that face this gritty, imperfect world head-on and show God's grace among the turbulent times. Her novels are also flavored with sweet romances that grow as healing begins. 


 
Welcome, Kay Edwards. We are glad to have you join us today.
 
To help my readers know you a little better, please start off by telling us a little bit about you.

I live in Katy, Texas.  It is a suburb of Houston.  I am a full time mom and housewife.  I homeschool, so my life is way too busy for a job outside the home.  I absolutely love to bake and cook.  The family kitchen is present in all of my books. 


I know you are writing a trilogy entitled the Susquehanna Trilogy. Please tell us about the 1stbook in the story.

The first thing to note is that all of my books are ebooks. The first book in the series is A Prelude To A Dance .  It is the story of Helen and Logan.  Helen becomes a local hero overnight.  The publicity is not something she embraces at all.  When she is asked to do a dance benefit, a dark secret from her past comes back to haunt her.  Logan is a famous dancer that sees the private pain she carries.  With God’s help, he gently helps Helen deal with the horror of her past. He also helps her stand as the threat from that past comes back to claim her.  


This book can be found for free online at the following retailers:

This book can also be downloaded for free on nook and ibooks.

It can be purchased as well for $.99 at the following retailer:

Please tell us about the 2nd book in this series. 

The second book in the series is The Storm’s Journey.  It tells the story of Toby and Tiffany.  Tiffany learns that the man who assaulted her has died at the hands of the police while he was attacking her friend.  This attack reunites her with Toby.  Though the two have not seen each other in months, it soon becomes apparent that the feelings they tried to ignore are still there.  Both come from broken pasts and must find the strength to turn and face their pasts before they can embrace their future.  Can Tiffany find it in her to not just survive but live?  Can she find it in her to forgive a person who still seeks to harm her?  Can she survive another encounter with that person?  Can Toby face and forgive those that harmed him?  Will they allow God to show them that they are beloved by Him?  Will they allow Him to show them that love can grow even in the storm’s journey?


This book can be purchased at the following retailers for $1.50:

It can be downloaded on the following apps for $1.50 as well:
ibooks
nook
kindle 

Would you please give us a sneak peek at the 3rd book? 

In the first and second book we meet Jody.  Jody's story of love is in the third and final book.  As a friendship blossoms into love, Jody must risk losing her family to follow God's leading.  Can Jody stand firm when she is forced to choose between the man God has given her to love or her family?  Will her family see God’s plan too late when tragedy strikes?  Join Helen, Logan, Tiffany, Toby, and Jody in the last book of the trilogy, To Be Blessed to be published in January of 2016.      


What are readers saying about your books?

You can't help but fall in love with the main characters, Helen and Logan. True love and devotion guide them through an unfortunate and heart-wrenching ordeal. Although the story keeps you on edge, it is filled with wit and humor. I cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy. ~ Gshamo

I read this book and i have to say i feel like i know Helen. Logan is just so understanding it makes sense he's the one for her. I nearly cried at some point. I'm glad you penned this down to remind those abused that they are never alone. Thank you for such a wonderful story. I'll be looking forward for more from you. God bless you~ Aku Sedodo

Five Stars from By AmyP on amazon
Endearing characters; suspenseful plot; great read! On to the next book!


What has been the toughest part about the Christian writing proces

The biggest bump is being asked to ignore the real pain in the world.  The main reason I self-published is because I was asked to sugar coat too many things.  There are Christian men and women that have been abused sexually, physically, and mentally.  I can’t pretend what happened to them didn’t happen.  The other thing that I was asked to exclude was the fact that men and women are attracted to each other.  In real life, a Christian couple better be willing to talk about the fact that in certain situations very real physical responses happen.   One of my male editors, Rodney, was thrilled that I wrote frankly about this.  He encouraged me to self-publish based on that alone.  My series now, as well as the series I’m working on, addresses the accountability of being aware of your body.

What has God been showing/teaching you throughout this journey?

The biggest thing God is teaching me is to be bold.  It is okay to let myself be vulnerable.  He has always been there.  He always will be.  In life, there are very sad things that happen.  From start to finish, God needs to be the center of my books.  I can’t lose sight of Him or it doesn’t work.

What advice would you give aspiring authors?

The first thing I would say is write your story.  Do not let others change it to meet guidelines.  It has to be yours to work.  Readers can tell if you are trying to change things to please a publisher’s guidelines.

What has your experience with self-publishing been like?

It has exceeded my expectations.  A Prelude To A Dance has been downloaded almost 1,000 times.  The biggest advantage was the fact I could tell my story.  I would have done this sooner if I had realized how easy it was to do.  I also want to point out again that all of my books are only ebooks, so they are only available online.  I do not pay to have them published, but I can charge for them.  Smashwords.com is an excellent site to self-publish.  You still have to do the work and get the word out about your book though.       

Where can people connect with you?

I am on Facebook.  Please feel free to like my page.  I will keep everyone updated on my books.  Anyone can message me.  I would love to hear from those that have taken the time to read my books.

Thank you, Kay, for joining us today and sharing the passion God has placed on your heart to write stories that bring Him glory and don't shy away from the gritty realities of our world. 


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