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About Eloise Schroder, Webmaster of The Christian Fiction Site:
Ellie has loved Christian fiction for many years, after being introduced to it back in 1990. She developed "The Christian
Fiction Site" back in 1998 under the former title "Ellie's World of Christian Fiction" after seeing the need for an online
resource site for readers to become more familiar with Christian fiction titles on the market. Since then, she has maintained
the site in her own spare time, as well as juggling a full-time job with GPH Wholesale, a distributor of Christian literature, and being
part of the worship team in her local church. Ellie lives in Palmerston North, New Zealand, with Dion, her husband of
more than 10 years.
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. . .B.J. Hoff
. . .
Author Profile Interview
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Author Profile Interview
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Jim’s wife, Dana and Jessie’s mom, Noah’s grandma, Clever-Trevor the Golden Retriever’s second favorite human (my husband being the first), and Ember the Deranged Kitty’s prime target of attack. For years I was a church music director and a music teacher, also a part-time writer. Then I went a little crazy and became a
full-time writer. We live in the gentle hills of southeastern Ohio, where allergists make a small fortune because of the rampant hay fever and leaf mold, and where we’re only a couple of touchdowns away from Columbus–close enough to claim bragging rights to the Ohio State Buckeyes. My husband is still my best friend, and between the two of us we keep area bookstores and music stores in business.
In a perfect world, I would be a high school marching band director, a concert pianist, or an accomplished bagpiper, live in a secluded mountain home where the fall season never ends, and raise
Golden Retrievers and Newfoundlands as a hobby. My husband is vastly relieved that we don’t live in a perfect world.
2. How did you become a novelist, and did you always want to write?
Did I mention that I went a little crazy? Actually, I spent several years publishing in the gift industry–devotional and gift books and inspirational texts for miscellaneous products--before I decided to try a novel. I had no siblings when I was growing up, and we moved a lot–too often to put down roots or make “best friends.” So books became my friends (books are still my friends, but I finally managed to make a few of the human kind along the way as well). I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I did
not save any of my childhood masterpieces, however, because I somehow sensed they might embarrass me later on in life.
I come from a long line of storytellers: grandparents and great-aunts and uncles, especially. (In the case of a few relatives, their stories were often referred to as “tall tales.”) In fact, as I understand the family tree, all this madness started long ago with an ancestor being run out of Dublin, Ireland, because he was printing inflammatory brochures in support of Home Rule. He came to America and continued to print inflammatory material about the British. Some things never change.
I grew up loving stories, which turned out to be a lifelong love affair. Give me a choice between a meal and a story, and I’ll take the story every time. (Of course, later, when everyone is asleep, I’ll sneak down to the kitchen and make up for the lost meal.)
It seemed to me some years ago that no one was writing very much about the Irish. Since my family tree was all shamrocks and blackthorn sticks, I decided to try my hand at the stories I wanted to read but couldn’t find.
3. What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?
The freedom to write from a worldview of faith. We sometimes hear the criticism that authors of Christian fiction are “restricted” in what they can write, that there are too many prohibitions placed upon Christian authors. I have yet to have any restrictions placed upon my writing, and I’ve published over twenty novels with a variety of Christian publishers. I published my first novel with a Christian house because I wanted to write freely from a faith base, not because I wanted to preach or teach–I simply wanted to tell a story and have the freedom to tell it my way. I stayed with Christian publishing because that’s where the stories I wanted to write happened to “fit.”
4. How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write?
Well, I hope they enjoy them enough that they keeping my books, of course!
5. What responses to your novels have affected you the most and why?
I receive some very moving correspondence from readers which affects me greatly. Hearing about hearts softened or lives changed or relationships mended–what more could any writer hope for? Two responses, however, quickly come to mind: I have readers who continually and faithfully pray for me, keep in touch and ask for any special prayer requests, add me to their prayer lists, and come together as a group to pray for me. I’ve also had more than one reader tell me that my books make them want to “stand up and cheer for the Lord.” As you can most likely understand, there are no words–even for a writer–to express what responses like these mean.
6. How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
I think I’d have to turn that around. I believe I’m a novelist because of Christ, just as I believe He has been in control of my life and every facet of it from the very beginning. He influences and breathes His will upon every aspect of my being.
7. Other than writing great novels, what other goals do you have for your life?
I’m afraid I’m not in the least ambitious! Being as good a wife and mother and grandmother–and novelist–as possible: that’s it for me.
8. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Figure out ways to make some spare time. When it works, I read. Spend time with my family. Listen to music. Take a walk.
9. What can you tell us about your latest novels?
A Distant Music, Book One of my new series, Mountain Song Legacy, will be released early in January of 2006. Because of the publisher’s (Harvest House) interest in expanding a novella I wrote a few years ago (The Penny Whistle) to a multi-book project, I’ve been given the opportunity to revisit some of my favorite characters: Jonathan Stuart, an ailing schoolteacher in a small Kentucky coal mining town; Maggie MacAuley and Summer Rankin, two of his students who believe in the God of the Impossible and set out to enlist His help for their beloved teacher; and an entire community of salt-of-the-earth folks, reminiscent of many of our own ancestors who built America with an incomparable work ethic and an indomitable faith. These are among my personal favorites, characters I love working with, so I’m extremely excited about their stories and naturally hope my readers will be just as excited.
10. What stories can your fans expect from you in the days ahead?
Whatever stories God places upon my heart and makes it possible for me to write. And trust me when I say that He knows more about those stories right now than I do! (Although the seeds have been planted ....)
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