with Colleen Coble

May 6, 2008

Hosted by Anne McDonald

Dancing Word Publisher/Editor

Anne McDonald: I'll open in prayer, go over protocol and then introduce tonight's guest

Lord, thank You for the gift of life. Thanks also for caring so deeply for us. Please bless each of our participants tonight, and especially our guest. Let our conversation be a blessing to You, and to others. May we glorify You through our writing. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Protocol reminder: When the floor is opened to questions, please raise your hand by typing ? for questions, ! for comments and wait to be called on in turn. To keep us from stepping on each others' toes, please use ga when you have finished typing ga = go ahead.

Tonight, I'm please to introduce a writer who is one of my favs. She's been a sensational teacher over the years and we can learn so much from her experiences. Please give a warm welcome to Colleen Coble.

*Annie leads the applause

Anne McDonald: Colleen, thanks so much for coming tonight.

Colleen Coble: I'm thrilled to be here, Annie!

Anne McDonald: Could you tell us a bit about your latest release Anathema?

Colleen Coble: It's an Amish suspense and is set here in Indiana. In the covered bridge capital of the world. I got to thinking—what would happen if an Amish woman was faced with something so horrific she couldn't forgive? So that's how the idea evolved.

Anne McDonald: What triggered the inspiration for this book?

Colleen Coble: It was the Amish school shooting. The Amish parents reached out to the families. Then my agent and I were talking about what if a woman COULDN'T do that?

Undercoverangel: What do you do when you hit a writers block?

Colleen Coble: Writer's block? What's that? LOL Seriously, I've never had it. However I HAVE gotten exhausted where I've needed to take a day off.

Anne McDonald: What was the hardest part about writing this book?

Colleen Coble: I wanted to make sure I got the Amish part right. I wanted the right balance--not rose colored glasses about their religion and not knocking them either. A balanced approach.

Dragon Riding Mouse: How do you plot your books?

Colleen Coble: I don't plot out things to the details. It drives me crazy to know what's going to happen. And I have to know SOMETHING about it. I have a new program for my Mac called Scrivener that's just terrific. I can do digital index cards and jot down scene ideas then drag those scenes around. I wrote Cry in the Night, the book I just turned in, on Scrivener and it was a big help. But I don't like to know everything. Sometimes I don't even know who the villain is or I change my mind if it seems too easy. So I have a lot of pantster in me. LOL

Limey: How can you set a murder among such a peaceful people? It seems so out of place.

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