Interview with Gina Holder

 

Good Wednesday! Today I'd like you to meet an author I recently discovered when I read her Shadows over Whitman series, starting with No Greater Love and then Forgiven Again. Gina is giving away a copy of No Greater Love! And I'll give away a digital copy of Forgiven Again. By the way, you can read my review of both books here and here.

So, let's get started.

What do you do when you're not writing? Any interesting hobbies?  

When I'm not writing, I spend my time reading and reviewing other Christian fiction. I also love spending time with my family. We love playing board games and watching TV together. 

Our new favorite game is Ticket to Ride. It's great for people of all ages. The initial concept is simple to understand but not too simplistic for more advanced players. 

 As far as hobbies, I collect key chains and have collected fifty or so. 

 My husband and I love to participate in Escape Games both virtually and in person. We've done six of them. I love trying to solve different types of puzzles. They really get my adrenaline pumping. For her 13th birthday, we are taking our daughter and her friend to experience their first escape room.

 No wonder you have such interesting twists in your books, Gina! What was your favorite book as a teen or child? 

When I was a child, my favorite book was If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. As a teen, my favorite book was The Measure of a Heart by Janette Oke. That book touched my heart on such a deep emotional level that I desired to do the same with my stories. It made me want to write in a way that as my characters overcome personal hardships that my readers can embrace the lessons they learn and apply them to their own lives. 

Tell us three things about yourself that might surprise your readers. 

I'm a fairly picky eater. There is a long list of foods I won't eat, and the older I get, the list seems to be lengthening. I love playing video games. But I'm not particularly good. One of my favorite dates with my hubby is going to places like Dave and Buster's. (Arcades) I don't play them much anymore, but I enjoy them whenever I can. I'm not competitive. At all. I feel bad when I win because my opponent lost. I prefer to make others feel good rather than win. That doesn't mean I don't put my heart into whatever I do; it just means I don't mind losing. 

What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? 

My debut novel was a historical romance titled Whither Shall I Go? I love history and historical novels; however, to write them well involves not only a lot of tedious research but also the ability to use that research without bogging down the story. 

And while I still love the idea of crafting historical novels, contemporary fiction was simpler. I don't have to worry about whether a particular word was used, whether they had wall to wall carpet, and how long did it take to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a steamer ship. 

 But I didn't set out to write romantic suspense, either. I'm a fearful person and get frightened easily. However, when I started No Greater Love, book 1 of the Shadows Over Whitman series, I was just writing along. (I'm a definite pantser.) Suddenly, this man is watching my protagonist leave the bookstore where she worked, and I thought, "Oh, hello. What are you doing there?" 

Since the male protagonist was a police officer, it just made sense to include a crime spree. And before I knew it, the crimes and the characters were all intertwined, and I had a romantic suspense novel. I found that I love leaving clues throughout the story plot and revealing details along the way. I can do it in a way that isn't gory or frightening but intriguing and page-turning. I write suspense in the way that I want to read them. 

If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be? 

As a teen and young adult, I spent most of my time writing and bettering my craft, but when I married in 2007, I stopped and instead spent most of my free time watching movies or reading. It wasn't until I was homeschooling our daughter eight years later that I began writing again to have something to do while she did her classwork. I took the story that I had started as a twenty-year-old and reworked it until it became my debut novel. 

I wish I would have used my free time in those early years more productively. What is the most valuable piece of advice you'd like to give to unpublished authors? The most valuable piece of advice I'd like to give unpublished authors is something that I had to learn recently. If you believe God has called you to write stories, then write. And even if your book only ever touches one life, you have obeyed Him. And that's all He asks of us 

I so agree, Gina! Here are the two books in the Shadows over Whitman Series:

She's looking for her birth mother. He's looking for a thief.
Will each find what they are searching for?

Paige McDonald, an avid book collector, discovers a forgotten Bible. When the Bible reveals that she was abandoned on the steps of a fire department, she begins a journey to search for her birth mother.

Hamilton Bryant, a Patrol Officer, has sworn off romance, reserving his passion for the town he's sworn to protect. When Paige's arrival in Whitman coincides with random thefts and threats against the mayor, Hamilton is compelled to investigate the newcomer.

When the danger gets personal, can Paige save her reputation before she ends up in jail for crimes she didn't commit?

She’s running for governor. He’s a pastor.
Will they risk their lives to keep a secret?

Annie Staten, now known as Kathleen Phillips, has dreamed of pursuing a political career and following in her father’s footsteps. But Richard was a hated man during his tenure as governor and now his enemies will stop at nothing to prevent his daughter from winning the election.

Ryan Whitestone has loved Annie since high school, but his heart is broken by the woman she has become. When the daughter she gave up for adoption comes back into her life, can he help her heal from her pain and remind her of who she used to be?

Will Kathleen be able to forgive herself, put the past behind her, and find love again?   The continuing story of No Greater Love.

Gina Holder dreamed of being a writer from her early teen years and lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter. When she's not homeschooling her daughter or working on her next novel, she enjoys reading, watching movies, cooking, singing, and playing the piano and organ. 

Her indie-published debut novel released in 2017. You can purchase both books for 99¢ each at Amazon.

I'm giving away a digital copy of Forgiven Again, and Gina is giving away a print copy of No Greater Love to one random-drawn commentor. (US Addresses only for print book) In the first book, Paige is seeking the mother who gave her up at birth. If you didn't know who one or both of your parents were, would you search for them? 

Be sure to leave your contact information!

Readers can contact Gina at:

Blog: http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/storiesbygina Instagram: http://instagram.com/storiesbygina Twitter: http://twitter.com/storiesbygina Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gina-Holder/e/B074HC9SHX Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gina-holder Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17074375.Gina_Holder