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Wednesday, March 1, 2017

ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS!






Nancy Mehl is an award winning author who lives in Missouri, with her husband, Norman, and her Puggle, Watson. She’s authored over twenty-five books and is currently writing a new series for Bethany House Publishing based on the U.S. Marshals. The first book, FATAL FROST, in her Defenders of Justice Series, released on November 1st, 2016. The second book, DARK DECEPTION, will hit store shelves in June of 2017. She is also working on a new cozy mystery series for Guideposts.

Readers can learn more about Nancy through her Web site: www.nancymehl.com. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.




ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS

In trying to decide what to write about today, I asked some of my Facebook friends what they’d like to know about me. They offered several questions, so I’m going to attempt to answer some of them. There are so many good ones, I can’t do them all at one time. I’ll finish them in upcoming posts.

First of all, from Carolyn Parks-Williams: It would be encouraging to me to hear about your road to publication. How long did it take you to find an agent or publisher? How many times were you rejected by an agent or publisher? Any tips for beginners?
 

Actually, I didn’t have much trouble finding publishers, but when I started out they were all smaller publishers. And a couple of them were big mistakes. For example: One was a large author mill. They made their money by trying to get you to buy your own books and sell them. One interesting side note about that experience: At one time, I was their highest selling author. And…I was interviewed by the Associated Press in an attempt to let other writers know they should stay far away from them.
 

Another publisher which had a good reputation, wanted to own me and everything I wrote. Thankfully, I got out of that before getting bogged down for years under a very controlling editor.

I actually met one of the Suspense Sisters through that same publisher! I won’t tell you who it is. I’ll let you guess. 😉

I found my first agent through an online group called Murder Must Advertise. With her help, I got my first big contract with Barbour Publishing. I’m grateful to God that since then, I’ve always had contracts.

Oh, and how many rejections from agents and publishers? Lots. And lots. And… Well, you get the idea. I have a file… Sigh. Stephen King used to put all his rejections on a large railroad spike he had stuck in the wall. It was full…and then he wrote CARRIE. You just have to keep going if you believe you’re called to write.

Lynn McPeak said: Like Carolyn, I think it would be interesting to learn about finding your publisher, any compromises that you made to be published, and what you would do differently if you could go back and start again.
 

I’ll address the questions I didn’t answer already. Compromises? Well, my idea when I started writing was to write secular stories with spiritual themes. I wanted to touch the world for Christ. Let them know they were loved and that there was hope for their lives. Then I was asked to write an inspirational cozy mystery. And it sold. My compromise wasn’t really a compromise. It was the realization that my idea wasn’t God’s idea. He’s called me to feed His sheep. And I’m grateful and thrilled to do it.

What would I do differently? I would start writing earlier. I didn’t write my first novel until I was forty-five. Long story as to why. Maybe I’ll tell it someday.

Kaye Whitney asks: I would like to know if your settings are real, have you traveled there yourself?


None of my settings have been real until my current series set in St.Louis. They’ve all been small towns set in real areas and near real towns. But I created the actual setting. And yes, in many cases I actually drove to the area to make sure I could stick a town in there somewhere!

Rick Estep says: I'd like to hear your testimony.
I’m assuming you mean my Christian testimony? I was raised in church and always knew God was real. Even when I was a little girl. But the church I grew up in was very legalistic, even teaching that if you don’t go to that church, you’ll go to hell. I was probably around ten years old when I went up front, said that I believed Jesus was the Son of God, and was baptized. But when I got older, I quit going to church even though I didn’t stop believing in God.

When I was in my twenties, a Baptist woman gave my mother and me some books written by a man named Hal Lindsey. The first book was THE LATE GREAT PLANET EARTH. I found it really interesting. Then I read SATAN IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING ON PLANET EARTH. Wow. I’d never been taught much about the devil and was startled to discover that he was real, and that he was determined to destroy as many people as he could. Then I read THE LIBERATION OF PLANET EARTH. Talk about boring. Sigh. I was driving to work (I was a private duty nurse for an elderly woman) and had the book on the car seat next to me. I clearly remember thinking, “I just can’t finish this book. All it does is say the same thing over and over. Jesus came to the earth and was crucified to pay the price for my sins. He offers me His righteousness for my sin…”

And then for the first time in my life I got it. It was actually like a light bulb went off in my soul. You see, the church I grew up in only asked me if I knew Jesus was the Son of God. Well, even the demons know that! But no one had ever explained “The Great Exchange” to me. I went home from work that day, got down on my knees and received Christ.

And my life has never been the same.

Next time I’ll talk about how I decided to become a writer, how I knew I was called, how I get my ideas for books… And whatever else I can answer for you! Thank you so much for all the great questions!
 

Please leave a comment below, along with your contact information. One winner will get their choice of a copy of FATAL FROST or DARK DECEPTION. (DARK DECEPTION will be released in June. Print copy in U.S. only, but an international winner can choose an eBook.), a $10.00 gift card from Amazon, or I'll use your name or the name of a friend or family member in an upcoming book!



49 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this post and getting to know more about you! I love your books and am looking forward to Dark Deception! Thanks for the great giveaway! jdennis298(at)gmail(dot)com

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  2. Beverly Duell-MooreMarch 1, 2017 at 10:08 AM

    I enjoyed your interview! I can think of lots of questions but when the opportunity comes to ask them they all fly out of my head!I loved, "Fatal Frost"! I also,enjoy your other books.duellonlysis(at)aol(dot)com

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  3. Thank you Nancy for sharing so much with us. It was great getting to know you more. I know I love your books and your big heart for animals, especially your Watson. :) I look forward to this new series. Thank you again.

    Lela, paralegal7@hotmail.com

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  4. Thank you for answering our questions. I love learning about authors. rackylemaire (at) Gmail (dot) com

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  5. Great questions. Great answers. Great interview. I like the idea of asking your fans what we'd questions we'd like to ask you.

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    1. I like it too. Gives me something to write about. LOL!

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  6. Thanks for answering!

    Nookwormwriter at live dot com

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    1. You're very welcome. Thank you for the great questions.

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  7. I always enjoy Nancy's books and would love to win this one! adult4beckyATaolDOTcom

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  8. I really liked the interview and getting to know more about Nancy. She is a new author to me and I'm looking forward to reading her books.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  9. I enjoy your books. What are some topics that you may think is off limits in your books?


    Sonnetta_jones(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  10. Great interview. I moved from St Louis about 1&1/2 years ago to just north of Springfield. Guess I'll have to read your books to see if I recognize any of the places in St Louis that you write about. We were there 20 years and lived in Maplewood and U City. I miss my friends and the shopping and the library! Do you know Irene Hannon? She also writes about places in St. Louis and I recognized a lot of them.would love to win a book that you wrote especially suspense! paulams49ATsbcglobalDOTnet

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  11. I really enjoyed this Q&A! Thanks for sharing, Nancy.

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

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  12. Great Q&A! betsytoj(a)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. Great Q & A. Keep up the wonderful writing Nancy.

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    1. Don't enter me in the contest. If you have never read Nancy's books I highly recommend them.

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  14. Thanks for the interview and the giveaway. I really enjoyed getting to know you a little better Nancy. The cover on your upcoming book looks great and I'm looking forward to reading it. :)
    momrain(AT)aol(DOT)com

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  15. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed meeting you here today.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  16. I found your testimony interesting, as much as I think I know about you, there is always something new to leaarn.

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  17. love your books, can't wait to read new one. catlover0112 @ yahoo dot com

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  18. It was great getting to know you Nancy. I loved reading your testimony. Suspense is one of my favorite genres and I would love to read your new book.
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Maryann

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  19. Thanks for sharing your testimony and O.My.Lanta! I didn't know this book was coming out so soon! YAY! Can't wait!
    cluedn@embarqmail.com

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  20. Thank you for sharing with us a little about yourself. Interesting publishing information. I would live to read your books! I've heard so much about them from my friend Cheryl Baranski.
    Blessings ... kelly (at) dkcountryarts . Com

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  21. I loved Fatal Frost, and I'm looking forward to the next book. Thanks for answering some questions for us.
    Linlee822 at gmail dot com

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  22. I love all your books. They are all great. Living in Harmony Amish series.

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  23. I really enjoyed your testimony & a bit about the town settings! I think we all tended to 'do our own thing's in our teens or early 20's. So glad God doesn't do that to us!
    I need to get some of your latest books, I sure enjoy reading them!!
    Thank You Nancy! Julie K
    juderocs@cox.net

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  24. Looking forward to your new book, finishing fatal frost right now.
    laizl8@yahoo.com

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  25. I loved the first in the series. I can't wait for Dark Deception.
    Thereadmaster(at)me(dot)com

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  26. I am looking forward to reading this series! Thanks, Kristie tklovenestataoldotcom

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  27. Always learning something new about you that inspires and encourages me, and others. I especially appreciate the way you weave GOD'S Love for us in each of your stories, regardless of how we feel about ourselves.

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  28. I loved reading your testimony Nancy. I accepted Christ when I was 14. I've been a big reader of Hal Lindsay on prophesy ever since. It's so fascinating!
    tumcsec(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. It's always great to read about someone with true faith in God. I also belong to the Murder Must Advertise group, and have learned a lot from being a member. I love the cover of your new book, by the way.

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  30. I so enjoy your books and am looking forward to reading the new series.

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  31. I really enjoyed your comments and getting to know you. I first read your ROAD TO KINGDOM SERIES and I was hooked. Then I found the HARMONY TRILOGY. I loved those also. I can't wait to read the Justice series. Thanks for some enjoyable reading.

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  32. I am about to read Fatal Frost and would love to win Dark Deception. carola245@hotmail.com

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  33. Nancy, i enjoyed reading your comments. Thanks for sharing.
    Connie
    cps1950(at)gmail(dot) com

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  34. I love getting to know more about authors! What a fun and informative post Nancy. I especially enjoyed reading your Christian testimony, those are the best :-) Thanks for sharing with us!

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  35. Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your publishing story. I'm glad you decided to not give up and finally found a good publisher. I would love to win a book from your Defender of Justice series. Being that I live in this city, I know I'll enjoy seeing the landmarks you used here. This series sounds so very good.
    Blessings,
    rsuebell@gmail.com

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  36. I just love your books!!! I started with the Sanctuary series and am on the Harmony series now.

    My question is are the characters in your books based on people that you know in real life? Some of your characters seem so real, like they could just step right off the page and go about a normal life. I have to admit, I saw a man a couple days ago, and I thought I knew him from somewhere. A few minutes later it came to me and I felt so silly. He looked just like the picture in my head of Abel from the Harmony series. You are so descriptive about the character that I feel like I know them. Made me giggle that I thought that I saw the person in real life, just based on your book.

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  37. Thank you for a great interview!Great authors write great books! Thank you for sharing your talent! mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  38. Thank you for answering these questions! It was great learning more about you.

    psalm103and138 at gmail dot com

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  39. Thank you for sharing in the answers to the questions. It is great getting to know you.
    betsylu2@msn.com

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  40. Thanks for sharing a little bit about yourself! I really enjoy your books...and...don't like to see them end!

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  41. Loved the first book.... can't wait to read book 2!

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