Congratulations to Jackie who won Sherri Johnson’s book last week.
Today we get write to the point with Linore Burkard.
Tell us about yourself, family, where are you from, how long have you been writing?
I’m from a large family, Melissa—eight children. We lived in a big three-story house in College Point, New York, which, despite its proximity to New York City, was a quintessential small town at that time. From my house, if you sat outside on the rickety iron fire escape up on the third floor you got a wonderful view of the Manhattan skyline. Alone in a high perch like that, I had time and space to dream big dreams. Never thought I’d be a writer, but since I wrote my first novel when I was nine, I guess I already was one!
How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior?
Well, my family was Catholic, but my parents weren’t devout. When I was a teenager, one day a few boys from a nearby Protestant church came around to where my friends and I often hung out, to “evangelize” us. At first, we just scoffed, but they made the audacious claim that they knew they were going to heaven. To a Catholic, that sounds presumptuous and impossible. Though I dearly loved debating about any possible topic I could hold my own on, I found that I was unable to refute their claims because they were using Scripture to back them up and I was not familiar enough with the Bible to argue. I accepted an invitation to their church and ended up going to the altar to say the prayer of salvation.
Tell us about your latest book(s). What do want your readers to take away after the last page?
I want readers to finish my books with a sigh of contentment, but that’s not all. I strive to give my heroines (and in some cases, heroes) the kind of living faith that is “active,”
alive with the presence of God. The Lord has been so kind to me, showing me many miraculous signs of His care and Presence, which I absolutely long to share. Using the context of history and religious experience of their day, I put my characters in situations where they must rely on faith, just as we must, today. Many readers have reported the desire to pray more after reading my books; they want to deepen their Christian walk, and that ismusic to my ears.
My most recent books are ebooks, and they’re “novelettes.” Unlike my novels, they’re not regencies, and one is even contemporary fiction. They are meant to appeal to a broad audience (have a lower key faith element) but are very much in keeping with the sort of story I like to tell: adventure with romance! The first is Her One True Soldier, available only on Kindle for the time being.
The other is, Coach and Four: Allisandra’s Tale, which is available in most any e-format, including Kindle.
How often do you blog and what do you cover in your blog?
My blog is called Woman of Faith because by grace, that’s what I am. But like me, it’s not just one-dimensional. I post all kinds of things, from devotions I write, or guest devotions, to recipes, book reviews (by me); guest authors and pro-life musings. I try to stick to a schedule of devotions on Monday, “Beautiful Life” Wednesdays, and “Fiction Fridays.” (“Try” is the operative word.) I also do numerous book giveaways. (Right now, anyone who sends me five new subscribers, which can include their own subscription, gets a free book by me. Period. Subscriptions are free, so there’s nothing to lose! Details are on the blog.)
Can you share with us a favorite book you have read?
I have many favorites, but some of my oldest to return to again and again are the James Herriot books. Herriot is the pen name of an author who lived and worked as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales—he is a natural master storyteller, and his tales are laugh-out-loud funny and yet poignant. Other favorite authors are Jane Austen, Dickens, and Pearl S. Buck. A recent book I enjoyed was The Allegra Biscotti Collection by Olivia Bennett (It’s a hoot–not Christian, but clean) and, in nonfiction, Broken Down House, by Paul David Tripp.
Can you share with us a Genesis 5020 in your life?
When I was young, only thirteen, I had a traumatic experience with an eighteen year old boy. It was date-rape, statutory rape, but being thirteen, I kept it to myself. I was distrustful of the entire male sex for many years, and not a little traumatized. But the Lord used it for good in my life. My family was troubled, and I had many opportunities to be as wild as I wanted, but, largely because of this experience, I didn’t want to. I had boyfriends, but I was angry. My motto was, “Look, but don’t touch!” God used that anger and kept me clean for when I became His child and later, for my husband.
Do you have a life and/or a ministry verse?
I have several, but the first one that the Lord used in my journey to Him was “He that finds his life will lose it; but he that loses his life for my sake, will find it.”(Luke 17:33) Early in our Christian walk we have choices, and we need to choose the narrow path, the way to life. This verse always helped me see that when I consciously chose to “lose my life” (by going to church, going to Bible Study, not sleeping in, etc.), I was paradoxically finding REAL life. For Christians, it’s second nature to do Christian things, but for new believers it’s a stretch! We are called to a life of sacrifice, and so this verse continues to empower and encourage me.
Where can we find you on the web?
Home-base is my website, but I love to entertain guests at home and on my blog, so come on by! I’m also on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and GoodReads, to name a few.
What are you working on right now?
In between homeschooling and getting my house ready for an appraisal, I’m writing a really fun regency time-travel (think: “Kate and Leopold.”) I had to drop this project for a long time but I’m so happy to be at it again. In October, I’m part of a Greater Harvest Workshops Day For Writers, which raises another of my labors of love: mentoring and editing other writers.
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Linore.
Readers, Linore has a great treat for you. You may choose from any of Linore’s books, even her new ebooks. All you have to do is leave a comment and subscribe to her blog, so let us know in your comment that you have signed up to follow her blog (not mine). Do all of this by September 11 at 5:00 PM . Not sure what books she has? Go to her blog to see them all.
Genesis 5020 