Marian P. Merritt - Lagniappe

Where the Bayous Meet the Mountains

Monday, January 19, 2015

Pamela S.Thibodeaux - Circles of Fate

Good Monday Morning Readers!

Today, Pam S. Thibodeaux visits Lagniappe. 

See why her fiction is labeled as "Inspirational with an Edge"

Welcome, Pam!

Tell us a little about Circles of Fate

Circles of Fate is a romantic saga which takes the readers from Ft. Benning, GA to Thibodaux, LA and covers nearly twenty years in the lives of Shaunna Chatman and Todd Jameson who are constantly thrown together and torn apart by fate. The two are repeatedly forced to choose between love and duty, right and wrong, standing on faith or succumbing to the world’s viewpoint on life, love, marriage and fidelity. With intriguing twists and turns, fate brings together a cast of characters whose lives will forever be entwined. Through it all is the hand of God as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.








Purchase Links:
Create Space: http://bit.ly/1qRN3cb
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/136qK7n


Give readers your brand/tagline and share how you came up with it.

When I was newly published I attended a writer’s conference where Susan Grant was one of the guest speakers. She talked about the importance of a brand or tagline. At the time I seriously considered “The Nora Roberts of Christian Fiction” as mine. However, not sure how Ms. Roberts and her team would feel about that, I struggled with coming up with a tagline for quite sometime. In 2001 I began setting up book signings at the Books A Million stores (that was back when authors could bring their books in). While talking with one of the event coordinators he asked what my books were about. As I told him and mentioned they were reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message” he commented “so they’re inspirational with an edge.” 

I knew in that moment my search was over and “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ became my tagline from that day until this. I even use it for my nonfiction projects as I often write to inspire as well as challenge the status quo of what Christianity is and how a Christian should believe and behave. Always with the intention of encouraging them into a closer walk and a deeper, more personal relationship with God & Jesus of course.


If you could spend the day with a famous author, whom would you choose and why?

Nora Roberts is my all-time favorite author and I’d love to sit and chat with her just to gain insight on how she continues to come up with such great characters and stories and how she’s crossed over so many genres and yet, never lost herself or her unique style and voice in the process.

What led you to choose the genre in which you write?

I didn’t choose my genre, it chose me.

When I first began writing in 5 subject notebooks I wrote steamy, sensual romance. However, in 1989 I recommitted my life to Christ and committed my writing to Him, praying I’d never write “just another romance” but something that would glorify Him and encourage readers to seek a close, personal relationship with Him. Not knowing anything about the “Christian” market, I went back through those stories and let the characters’ faith shine through. I had no idea the books were too steamy and sensual.

Until I started submitting.

It didn’t take long to find out my writing did not fit in this genre!

I continued to write and began to read Christian romances then started revising. Although my books are not always accepted by a traditional Christian publisher, they do stay within and teach biblical principles.

If you could have one of your senses (Touch, sight, taste, smell, hear) be a superpower which would you choose and why?

As Christians we’re called, and as writers we’re taught, to look a level deeper. However, I’d love to hear more than people’s words, but the deepest whispers of their heart and soul. By doing so, I’d be able to minister to them more effectively.  

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?

Sometimes when I’m feeling as though there is no real point to writing, I’ll read a couple of good reviews to boost my mood and remind myself why I write. Occasionally I’ll respond to a reviewer’s comments. As for dealing with the bad, I try to look for and focus on one positive note within the “bad” review and remind myself that reading is subjective and you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Tell everyone they meet how much they enjoyed the book! Write a review. Purchase it as a gift to those whom they feel would enjoy and benefit from reading it.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I have 2 WIPs (Works in Progress) in various stages of completion and hope to get at least one if not both finished and contracted and/or published in 2015. I also have 2 NF (Non fiction) projects I’ve started and a whole bunch of ideas just waiting to be developed.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Plotter, Pantser, or Planser?
100% Panster! Half the time I can’t even come up with a blurb much less synopsis until the book is finished. About the only thing I know is the story will contain a true-to-life romance and end happily-ever-after.

For Thanksgiving: Pecan Pie or Pumpkin Pie? Oooohhh… Pecan; definitely. Although I do enjoy pumpkin pie, pecan is my favorite of the two.

Biscuits or Dinner Roll?
Yep LOL! Or cornbread or crackers or… bread is my weakness so anything….bread-like.

More important: Plot or Characters?
IMHO, great characters can pull off just about anything including a virtually unbelievable plot.


Author bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

Links:
Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib






Pam, thanks for sharing!

Readers, thanks for visiting Lagniappe.

I pray you find 
"a little something extra" 
in each of your days.


Marian

1 comment:

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Thanks for having me today Marian!
PamT