Good Monday Morning Readers!
Today, Donna Robinson visits Lagniappe
to discuss her latest release, The God of All Tomorrows.
Welcome, Donna!
Tell us a little about
The God of All Tomorrows.
Thank you, Marian, for hosting me on your blog!
Tell us a little about
The God of All Tomorrows.
This book
has a long history. I woke up one
morning with a dream running through my mind. My husband and I were in South
America, visiting a missionary doctor named Miles Stone. That was all I could
remember of the dream, but that little bit made an impression. I sat down and
wrote an outline for a novel. Two years later I finished it.
That was in 1995,
twenty years ago! I’ll always think of The
God of All Tomorrows as a “milestone” in my writing career, for this was
the first novel I ever finished.
On a side note to
Marian (and your blog readers), the word Lagniappe
actually has its origins in Quechua, the language my heroine learned to speak
in Peru. It comes from the Quechuan word yapay
(meaning “to increase or add”) with the Spanish article la in front of it. A number of Quechuan “loan words” have entered
English via Spanish, including cocoa, condor, jerky, llama, puma, and
quinoa.
Donna, thanks for sharing the tidbit about the origin of Lagniappe! It's so cool to learn something new about things that have been a part of our lives for so long!
What led
you to choose the genre in which you write?
I’ve always enjoyed reading sweet Christian
romance, both contemporary and historical. In Proverbs 30, King Solomon wrote
about four things he didn’t understand, and one was “the way of a man with a
maid.” It really is a mystery why two people are attracted to each other. Why
are they attracted to that person, and not someone else? I believe God uses
those sparks of attraction to further His will in people’s lives.
What is your
hope for the readers of your books?
In writing Christian stories, I hope to point
readers to a closer walk with the Lord. The theme of The God of All Tomorrows is trusting in God, no matter how bad
things look. Several times, Launi and Miles have to learn to trust the Lord for
their very lives. If God could come through for them, He can certainly help us
with our problems. Just as He helped us in the past, He can guide us in the
future.
What is your
least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?
Writing the book! Seriously, I sometimes have to
force myself to sit down at the computer and write the next chapter. To me,
writing a rough draft takes a lot of energy—a brain drain, which makes me tired
(and I’m getting older!) But I really enjoy editing my work, once it’s written.
Can you give
us a brief summary of your writing process from idea to holding a published
book or a download onto your eReader.
After many years of writing, I’ve finally narrowed
it down to a process! When I get a book idea, it usually simmers in my mind for
a while. If I keep thinking about it, I brainstorm the idea with my daughter,
Holly, who is also my editor. (She’s married with four kids, and we’ve been
brainstorming together since she was in college.) I work our ideas into an
outline of the story, which often changes quite a bit before I’m finished
writing the book. When I feel good about the story synopsis, I begin writing. It
takes anywhere from four to eight months to write the book, depending on family
and/or church happenings. Holly edits it for me, and then I have others read
and edit it. As an Indie Author now, I format my own books into eBooks. My
husband creates all my book covers, and he formats the books into paperback.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m working on a
two-book contemporary romance series set in West Virginia. The first book is
titled The Ballad of Steffie Mae, and
it’s scheduled to come out in October, 2015, Lord willing.
Please include buy links and your
website/FB/Twitter etc links.
Website: DonnaRobinsonBooks.com
Amazon
Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Reimel-Robinson/e/B00J43HJKI/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Please leave a question you’d
like readers to answer.
In The God of All Tomorrows, Launi and
Miles have to trust God when there is nowhere else to turn. Sometimes the Lord
“paints us into a corner,” so to speak, and the only way we can look is up. Has
this ever happened to you? Have you had a bad circumstance where the Lord had
to rescue you, and you saw His hand in the situation?
LIGHTNING
ROUND
Plotter,
Pantser, or Planser? I’m a
definite plotter.
eReader or Paper book? Paperback book
C.S. Lewis or J.R.R Tolkien? C.S. Lewis,
especially the Chronicles of Narnia
For Thanksgiving: Pecan Pie or Pumpkin Pie? Pumpkin pie
Birthday Card: Email or Snail Mail? Snail mail
In 1934, Launi Fairfield goes to the jungles of
Peru to translate the Bible into an Indian dialect. She thought missionary work
would be exciting, but her days are taken up with the tedious translation
project.
Together, they end up having more adventure than Launi ever bargained
for. They battle snakes, jaguars, sickness, earthquakes, and an Indian chief
who wants to add Launi to his harem. Will they trust God for all their
tomorrows?
In 1934, Launi Fairfield goes to the jungles of
Peru to translate the Bible into an Indian dialect. She thought missionary work
would be exciting, but her days are taken up with the tedious translation
project.
Miles Stone has been a missionary doctor for ten
years. He’s a confirmed bachelor, not wanting to be saddled with a wife and
children as he moves around to the different Peruvian tribes. He’s content with
his life, until he meets Launi.
Donna Reimel
Robinson is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her publishing
credits include Tumbleweed Weddings,
published by Barbour, as well as The
Knotty Pine Chronicles and The God of
All Tomorrows. She and her husband live in Denver, and have four grown
children and eleven grandchildren. You can see a list of her books, both
digital and paperback, at DonnaRobinsonBooks.com.
Thank you, Marian, for hosting me on your blog!
Donna, thanks for sharing!
Readers, thanks for visiting Lagniappe
I pray you find a
"little something extra"
in each of your days!
Marian
Readers, thanks for visiting Lagniappe
I pray you find a
"little something extra"
in each of your days!
Marian
