A huge welcome to fellow Pelican Book Group author Jan Elder! You'll be happy to know Jan will be giving away not one, but two electronic copies of her new release, A Semi-Sweet Summer. Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win one of them!
When I first
started writing a “New Adult” novella for the Pure Amore line of Pelican Book
Group, I was waxing nostalgic about my teenage years. Memories flooded through
me and a myriad of feelings, some quite strong, rose up to assault me. There
were a great many pleasant remembrances, but what I recall the most about being
in those “stuck in the middle” years was that there was a great deal of
anxiety, the sensation of being so very different—certainly not part of the
“in” crowd.
My thoughts swung
to a boy I had the biggest crush on in high school. He was three and a half
years older and he was definitely part of the “elite” segment of our church
youth group—the cool kids I so longed to be a part of. Sorry to say, I followed
him around like a puppy, learned all of his favorite foods, chosen hobbies,
etc. I try not to think I actually stalked him, but I was very aware of his
presence, and searched for ways to be near him.
In A Semi-Sweet Summer, I tried to transfer
some of that raging angst into fodder for Cassidy’s discomfort in finding her
unrequited love living right next door. Cassidy never really fit in, hardly
that enviable cheerleader, not a person that anyone would notice. Rather, she
sees herself as sort of an ugly duckling. Now she’s back ten years later and
it’s a tough situation. The pain of those past years rises up to haunt her, and
the boy who is now a man was the cause of much of her pain. If she had been
prettier, smarter, more engaging, would he have loved her? And what about now?
Can she learn to see herself as God sees her and find her value in His eyes?
One of my
favorite passages of the Bible talks about how we are wonderfully made. Why
would we want to be anyone but the person God created us to be? I like to think
that God can use our experiences to help others through similar situations. God
makes each of us so different, so unique, so special, and trying to be a copy
of someone else makes the world less colorful.
Psalm
139:14-16 - The
Message (MSG)
Oh yes, you shaped me
first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.
A Mini-interview with Jan:
Which character in your new release did
you most enjoy writing? Why?
I had
a fine time creating Hunter Gray, the hero in the novella. He’s a great deal
like my husband—smart, savvy, droll, witty…just a fun guy to be around. He’s
had some ups and downs in his life and he has come through with shining colors,
mostly because he has learned to rely on God for his strength.
What I
like best about him is that he has a heart to help other, and that includes our
heroine, Cassidy. She is quite the handful sometimes, and he always responds
with grace and tries to balance her seriousness with a touch of
lightness—something she sorely needs in her life. When he finds out that in the
past he has hurt her deeply, his immediate response is to ask for forgiveness.
Sure,
we all mess up sometimes, but when we ask the Lord for forgiveness, He is quick
to respond, welcoming us back with open arms. I like to think that we could all
learn something from Hunter, a good-hearted man who longs for reconciliation.
What makes you laugh out loud?
My
cats make me laugh on a daily basis. My husband and I have two (he wanted none,
I wanted four so we compromised). When I write, I am usually sitting in a
lounge chair with my laptop on my lap, and my gorgeous black and white tuxedo
cat, Jamie, enjoys sitting on the arm of the chair. Her front paw dangles and
she is often patting me in some way, obviously offering encouragement. As she
is quite a vocal creature, occasionally, she’ll comment, helping me with word
choice (she has an amazing vocabulary for a feline).
When
15-year-old tortoiseshell, Shu-Shu, awakens from her frequent naps, she has a
fine time dancing on my keyboard to get attention. She has been known to type
actual words, but the meaning is often cryptic. I am sure she has a secret
language and have wondered if I should offer her services to the CIA or some
such organization who would use her expertise.
Please share your conversion experience,
if you’re comfortable doing so.
I
was immensely blessed to grow up in a Christian family and Mom always made sure
we were in church at every opportunity. From the day I was born, I knew that
God loved me and wanted the very best for my life.
At the tender age of
five, our pastor at church invited those who didn’t know the Lord to come down
to the altar for prayer. I remember pulling on my mother’s sleeve asking her if
she would go down that long aisle with me. I asked Jesus into my heart that day.
Is life always wonderful? No, because we live in this fallen world. But there’s
a joy deep down in my soul that can never fade or falter. What a glorious
gift!
About A Semi-Sweet Summer
Cassidy Cooper never
wanted to set foot in Crystal Falls again. Ten years earlier, she’d given her
heart to a boy who’d, in turn, humiliated her deeply. Now, back in town as the
sole beneficiary of her sister's estate, she’s determined to make her sister's
dream of an upscale chocolate truffle shop, come true.
Hunter Gray is very
intrigued by his new neighbor. His escape artist cow, Marigold, engineers an
introduction…but it's not quite the first impression he was hoping for. Baffled
by the nagging suspicion he’s seen this woman before, he plots to win Cassidy’s
heart at every opportunity.
With the object of
her unrequited love living within shouting distance, Cassidy prays for strength
to forgive and forget. And Hunter? He just wants to get back to his own dream
to grow his farm and get to know the pretty girl next door. If she'll let
him.
About Jan Elder:
JAN
ELDER is an inspirational romance writer with a passion for telling stories
other women can relate to on a deep level. She strives to write the kind of
book that will strengthen the reader’s faith, introducing the reader to a
loving and forgiving Lord who walks beside us in our daily lives, while also
providing an entertaining and engrossing love story.
Happily
married for fourteen years to loving (and supportive) husband, Steve, the two
live in central Maryland along with Jamie (a chubby black and white tuxedo
cat), and Shu-Shu (a willowy tortoiseshell cat). On the weekends, Jan and Steve
comb the nearby countryside in search of the perfect ice cream flavor.
