Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Behind-the-scenes of Madily in Love with Lynda Schab

Fun new release from Lynda Schab inspires a few questions and answers! Come join us as we tour the behind-the-scenes of Madily in Love with Lynda.

All Madi Lee McCall wants is to fall madly in love again…with her husband.

ON WRITING:


What is the writing process like for you?
I honestly don’t have a process. I admire writers who can set word-count goals and stick to them, but that’s just not me. It really just depends on the day. Of course, deadlines are a huge motivator!

The main thing that gets me writing is knowing where I’m going with the storyline. I find that when I take the time to sit and think about what comes next, my fingers fly much more effortlessly across the keyboard. When I’m stuck, I’m much more likely to click on over to Facebook and play a few hands of Solitaire Blitz. Self-discipline doesn’t come easy for me.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?
Favorite: The creative process. Thinking a story through from beginning to end and then seeing my vision come to life through the characters and situations I create.

Least favorite: Definitely the self-discipline it requires. As I mentioned above, time management is something I’ve always struggled with. Making myself sit down and focus when I know the basement needs cleaning, laundry is piling up, my office needs to be organized, or I want to watch the episode of Survivor I missed the night before is my biggest challenge.

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
That’s easy: Apply the Butt Glue and just write. In spite of my battle with discipline, that book won’t get written unless I park my behind in the chair and start typing. Even when I don’t feel like it. Even when I have a million other things to do. One of my favorite quotes on writing is, “You can fix bad, but you can’t fix blank.”

ON MADILY IN LOVE:
What is Madily in Love about? Tell us a little about the plot.

About the book: Madi McCall is just coming out of a marital rough patch (you’ll have to read Mind over Madi for that whole story) and she’s trying to get her marriage back on track. But that’s easier said than done, especially because her mother-in-law has moved in, Madi’s recently started working again after years of being a stay-at-home-mom, and her kids seem determined to do everything they can to turn her hair even grayer than it already is. Madi attends a Revitalize Your Marriage with Romance class at church and gets some great tips…that fail miserably. All she wants is some peace among the chaos. And some quality time with her husband would be nice, too.

Your publisher tagged this series as “Delightful. Witty. Entertaining. Real. Poignant. Light-hearted Women’s Fiction at its best.” Can you expand on that at all? How does the Madi Series live up to this description?
While I certainly hope my stories are delightful, witty, entertaining, and poignant, the word in that description which I feel is most fitting of this series is, “real.” Women can relate to Madi because she battles with the same things we all do. No, not just chocolate, although that’s one of them! Madi has insecurities that affect her relationships – with her husband, her kids, her mother, her best friend, and God.

If there’s one thing I know is that we all have “stuff.” Maybe not exactly the same stuff as everyone else, but “stuff,” nonetheless. Madi helps us realize there are others out there who probably deal with their issues just as poorly as we do sometimes. But God’s grace is enough to cover our insecurities, our faults, and weaknesses, even when we mess up and our lives feel insanely out-of-control.

What do you want readers to take away from reading Madily in Love?
Although this book has to do with the importance (and fun) of adding romance to marriage, the main thing I hope readers can take away is that even though life seems unmanageable, disorderly, and chaotic, God is always in control. One of the recurring phrases throughout the book—as mentioned by Madi’s counselor—is “Embrace this place.” In other words, no matter what you’re going through, recognize that it won’t last forever. And down the road, you might just look back and see just how that “unbearable” season was essential in moving you to a place of growth and necessary change.

Are you planning another book? If so, what is the story?
I am currently working on the 3rd and final book in the Madi series, due out in the fall of 2013. It’s titled, Sylvie & Gold. Madi’s best friend Sylvie is preparing for her wedding (and if you’ve read Mind over Madi, you know who she’s marrying). With just a few weeks before the wedding, Sylvie is dealing with a lot: Her meddling and feisty soon-to-be mother-in-law, her son’s sexting issue, planning her mom’s sixtieth birthday party, and her fiance’s ex-wife, who has come back to town after a seven-year absence. Sylvie is normally pretty calm and collected. But her stress card is quickly getting maxed out. The question is whether she’ll completely lose her cool or find the happily-ever-after she longs for.
GETTING PERSONAL
Who or what inspires you?
People in general inspire me. Whether it’s hearing a moving testimony or just witnessing someone’s positive outlook on life, I find inspiration to be a better person by various people I meet. A good message from my pastor, a pep talk from a friend, or a song I hear on the radio. Inspiration is everywhere. All that’s required is a heart to receive it.

What would be your dream job if you weren’t a writer?
I would probably being doing something in the field of mental health, whether as a counselor or in research or something. Why people do what they do fascinates me and I love learning about human behavior. I’m constantly analyzing people and my husband is always telling me I should have been a psychologist. He’s probably right. In writing, I think this helps me in character development. Or an ice cream tester. Now that would be a dream job.

Is Madily in Love based on a specific portion of scripture?
1 Corinthians 13 would be the chapter you’d expect me to respond with, right? Well, call me predictable. LoL. More specifically, Madily in Love is based on the 7th verse: “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” And Madi certainly has circumstances to endure.

Do you have a favorite personal Bible verse?
My favorite verse is Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” I recite this verse often! Because my mind is always so busy and distracted, I tend to stress out a lot. I need to keep reminding myself that God is God. He’s in control. And everything will be okay.

What do you do for fun and relaxation when you’re not writing?
I escape to the movie theater with my refillable bucket of popcorn. I’m sort of a television/movie junkie, and I blame it on my need for a good story. I also enjoy just hanging out with my kids, playing board games or video games (although it’s been a while since I got crushed in Mario Kart).

How can readers connect with you?
My website address is www.lyndaschab.com. I also have a blog with various writing and reading-related material at www.on-the-write-track.blogspot.com. You can also connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.
 
What a delight to have Lynda with us today. Thank you!
Angie
 
Lynda Lee Schab
 
 LYNDA LEE SCHAB BIO:
 Lynda Lee Schab got her writing start in greeting cards (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring) and from there went on to write articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian Home & School) and in many places online (including www.Examiner.com and www.wow-womenonwriting.com). As a freelance writer, she works behind the scenes at www.FaithWriters.com and is a regular book reviewer for www.FaithfulReader.com. She is also the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner and the National Writing Examiner for Examiner.com and a staff writer for www.SharedSorrows.com
 
Mind Over Madi placed second in the 2008 ACFW Genesis contest, chick lit category, received a highly commended award in the FaithWriters Page Turner contest, and was a finalist in the 2007 RWA Get your Stiletto in the Door contest. Madily in Love was a semi-finalist in the 2011 ACFW Genesis contest. Lynda admits she has a lot in common with the character of Madi. Not only are they both addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games, they struggle with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty dose of God’s grace. Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan.
 
MADILY IN LOVE now available!
Mind over Madi now available on Kindle!

1 comment:

Lynda Lee Schab said...

Thanks for featuring me today, Angela!