Patience, Perserverance, and Prayer: An Interview and Giveaway featuring author Gail Gaymer Martin

13 Dec 2011 27 Comments

by Heather H. in 12 Days of Christmas, Book Shelf

Each time I start writing a post for the 12 Days of Christmas, the iconic song keeps playing in my head (What I can remember of it anyway.) I think that the passing of time has lost the translation of these strange “gifts.” I’m probably not your true love and the turtle doves I caught flew away (who wants to clean up after them anyway?!) So on the second day of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaways your gift is a review, plus an interview, writing tips and chance to win a Christmas title from the multi-talented Gail Gaymer Martin. To enter the giveaway, simlpy leave a comment with your name and email address by Dec. 23. There’s also a chance for bonus entries.
(Don’t forget to comment on the Day One post to win a book from Loree Lough.)

Review of “CHRISTMAS GIFTS” by Gail Gaymer Martin

I have a rule…no Christmas songs, decorations or fa-la-la-la-la fun until December. Over the last few years I’ve become a little fanatical about it as stores begin decorating in October. But when it comes to books from my favorite authors I’m more impatient than a child on Christmas morning. So when I got Gail Gaymer Martin‘s new Love Inspired release “Christmas Gifts” in the mail I started reading it immediately (even though Halloween hadn’t arrived.)
You’ll want to read this book anytime of the year-curled up by the fire in December or on the beach in July.

From the back cover
When seven-year-old twins act up in temporary teacher Amy Carroll’s class, she meets their very apologetic widowed father, Mike Russet. The handsome man has his hands full—but can two mini matchmakers and holiday cheer open his heart to Christmas romance?

Frazzled father Mike Russet is the man and the mom of the house. The widower is raising precocious seven-year-old twins Holly and Ivy.
Teacher Amy Carroll’s life is in upheaval. Budget cuts force her to leave her job in Chicago for a job in a small town. Even as she makes her new life she must deal with her baggage from the past.
Amy knows first hand what it’s liked to be raised by a single father. She sees a chance to help Mike give some tough love to the twins.
Mike sees beyond Amy’s beauty and hard shell.
The twins see a chance to help their favorite teacher find a permanent place in their school and in their daddy’s heart.
While Mike’s genuine faith challenges Amy to put the past to rest, Amy awakens feelings that the father thought he had buried with his wife.

The novel wraps up realism, romance, faith, and the magic of the season in one small package (It’s 110 pages and I read it in one sitting.) And “Christmas Gifts” keeps on giving with a bonus novel “Her Christmas Cowboy” by Brenda Minton.

I’m putting “Christmas Gifts” on my keeper shelf and I have a feeling I’ll be pulling it out this summer for a little Christmas in July!

Interview with Gail Gaymer Martin

OA: Every Christmas season I pull out one of your Christmas books to read (“The Christmas Kite”,  “With Christmas In His Heart”, “Christmas Gifts”, “Upon a Midnight Clear.”) I guess it’s become a tradition for me. Have any of your family’s Christmas traditions found there way into your Christmas novels? What fun or special traditions does your family celebrate?

GM: I suppose an occasional tradition shows up in a Christmas book but they are things that are traditional to most people–playing Christmas music while decorating the house and tree, hanging up Christmas stockings to be opened on Christmas Day, and putting a creche beneath the tree that has been in my husband’s family for years.

One particular tradition that my family has is on Christmas Day we break up into groups of 11 and sing the Twelve Days of Christmas. We all begin on Day 1 and then each group or individual must remember to sing the day they or she has been assigned. It provides a lot of laughs when people forget what came on that day or when some of the singers can’t carry a tune. The song is often modulated into a variety of keys. : )

OA: I’m amazed at the variety of books you published. How many of your books have been published?

I’ve been published by Steeple Hill/Love Inspired and Barbour Publishing as well as their Heartsong Presents line. My fiction totals 50 novels, I believe. I am also the author of Writing the Christian Romance from Writers Digest, and I have 27 books involving church resource materials of programs, skits and plays for adult and children in church and Sunday school.

OA: As an aspiring writer I’ve been following your writing blog for years. I’ve used many of the tips for writers you’ve posted on your website. What advice do you have advice for writers aspiring to be published?

Learn the craft. God-given talent is important but that doesn’t sell a book. Writing needs training and study, attending workshops and conferences, networking with writers, reading magazines and books on writing, and then practicing. Often the first novel doesn’t sell. The third or fourth or fifth or twentieth might. Patience, perseverance, practice, polish, and prayer for a story that grabs an editors heart and hangs on.

OA: Why do you choose to write inspirational romance instead of secular books? 

GM: I am a lifelong Christian, born into a family of believers who attended church, and though they made mistakes and sinned, as we all do, they held on to the hope of Christ as their redeemer and savior. When I was first writing—which was not fiction but articles for magazines—I recalled my childhood dream which was to write novels. During my first or second conference, Gayle Roper told me about a bulletin board of writers on AOL (that was in 1996) and on that bulletin board I ran across a message that said anyone who wanted to write Christian romance could join a new group that was being established. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write but that sounded fine with me. Little did I know the group included Francine Rivers, Liz Curtis Higgs, Karen Ball, Lisa Tawn Bergren , Linda Windsor, Annie Jones, and many more. They truly mentored me and I sold my first novel in 1998.

OA: Which comes first as you write-the story or the spiritual journey.

As I develop a novel, usually I have a general idea of story along with types of characters and their problems which might include a faith issue. They come together in small pieces

OA: How do you balance showing a character’s spiritual journey without “preaching” to the reader?

Preaching is the worst thing anyone can do in Christian fiction. It’s a turn off for most readers, even Christians. My character’s journeys stem from their inner conflicts and sometimes that can involved faith issues: why does God let this happen, does God hear my prayers, will God listen to me a sinner, and so on. Sometimes the problem is weak faith or lack of faith. I try to write my novels “real.” I present characters just as I live my life with the worries and fears along with the faith that is from my heart and soul. When faith discussions or a faith lessons stem from realistic issues or situations, they are not preachy. Preachy is when the story almost stops to drive home a point that is meant to sway the reader’s thinking. It’s long prayers and Bible verses filling the story as well as constant church scenes that can turn off readers.

OA: Do you have a favorite character or book that you’ve written?

That’s like asking a mother which of her children she loves the most. I love each book as I write it. Some linger in my heart longer than some. Upon A Midnight Clear (my first book published by Love Inspired) is one. The Christmas Kite is another – my first single title from Steeple Hill. A Love for Safekeeping (an award winning romantic suspense) published by LI in 2002 was my first romantic suspense and is now available on Kindle.

OA: What is your favorite and least favorite parts of writing a novel?

I love hearing from readers who have been touched and changed by one of my novels. My least favorite part is two things: the way being an author takes over my life and the other, doing what my editor calls “tweaking” a novel that’s contracted and complete. This often means almost rewriting the book.

OA: Performing in choirs keeps you busy. Tell us about your music.

My husband writes handbell music and he’s published. But I am very active in music. I’ve always been a singer since I was a child singing in elementary and high school choirs, then auditioned groups in college and a well-known madrigal group, and I sing with a well-known Christian chorale in the Detroit area. In church, I sing solos, participate in the choir, and a member of the praise team. I perform at church in handbells land handchimes. Years ago I played the piano for Sunday school. Don’t ask me now. I can barely remember how to play.

Thanks, Heather, for inviting me to your blog. Readers can find me at www.gailmartin.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/people/Gail-Gaymer-Martin/1429640580 Writers can enjoy my blog Writing Fiction Right at www.writingright-Martin.blogspot.com

A Family of Their Own is available in paperback from your local bookstore, or online. It’s also available as an ebook.

I was provided an Advance Reader Copy of A FAMILY OF THEIR OWN at no cost for review purposes. The opinions are my own and I was not a required to provide a positive review.

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Gail is giveaway a copy of one of Christmas novels to one winner. The winner gets to choice either “Christmas Gifts”, “With Christmas in His Heart” or “Upon a Midnight Clear.” To enter:

1. Simply leave a comment under this post, with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win! Email addresses are used for this contest only. I don’t collect or sale email addresses.)

BONUS ENTRIES (Leave a Separate Comment for each action you complete stating what you did along with your name and email.)

1. Friend Gail on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/people/Gail-Gaymer-Martin/1429640580
2. Join Readers of Gail Gaymer Martin’s Books https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11054311247
3. Follow Gail Twitter: http://twitter.com/GailGMartin
4. Visit Gail’s LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top
5. Visit Gail’s Personal Blog: www.gailmartin.blogspot.com
6. Visit Gail’s WritingFictionRight (for writers): www.writingright-Martin.blogspot.com
7. Sign up for Gail’s monthly newsletter with photos, new, appearance, info on free books, recipe, and devotional. Subscribe at: www.gailmartin.com below the welcome message.
8. Visit Gail’s publisher’s website.
   www.harlequin.com
   http://www.barbourbooks.com/catalog/CategoryInfo.aspx?cid=152&Tab=Home
9. Visit Compassion International website: http://www.compassion.com/
10. Find Compassion on  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Compassion-International/233432993348291?sk=wall

(Don’t forget to comment on the Day One post to win a book from Loree Lough.)

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