Today we welcome Shellie Arnold to my blog. Shellie is giving away an ebook copy of her new book Abide With Me to one commentor. Please leave contact information in the comments.
Welcome, Shellie. Can you tell me about the book, share the blurb
Title: Abide With Me
(Book three in the Barn Church series)
Blurb: After ten years of
marriage to the only man she’s ever loved, why is Angelina so unhappy?
As a wealthy yet lonely wife, Angelina
Rousseau pours all her emotions into her paintings. Desperate for affection and attention, she
finds herself willing to do almost anything to feel loved. Her
husband Nick is determined to provide everything Angie could want, including finally giving
her what she’s asked for most—time with him. When what seems to be the perfect real
estate investment turns sour, he’s arrested for fraud, but soon learns being accused of
multiple felonies is the least of his worries.
Once again, Nick’s choices negatively affect Angelina. This time she’s forced to part
with cherished possessions to finance his defense and protect her future. When
Angelina’s carefully built walls begin to crumble, both husband and wife must
examine their emotionally bankrupt marriage. Yet even if they discover what went wrong between them, Nick could still
spend the rest of his life in prison.
Could "having it all" cost Nick
and Angie more than they ever
imagined?
Where did you grow up and attend school? Are there any other
authors in your family?
Hi, Laura. Thanks for having me. I grew up in central Florida,
mostly attending public schools, then graduated from Evangel Christian School. I
lived in central Florida until six and a half years ago, when we moved to Ohio.
I have a couple of relatives who dabble in writing, but none are traditionally
published.
How did you get started writing? How old were you? What made you want to start? What did you enjoy reading as a child?
I’ll start with the last question. No, I did not enjoy
reading as a child. I didn’t start enjoying reading until after graduating high
school. As far as writing, until 2002 my vision was firmly set on writing
non-fiction books about marriage. As a kid from a broken home and a sexual
abuse survivor, I simply wanted to share what I was learning the hard way. In
2005 after illness, God began leading me to also write fiction, so, I was…38?
39? When God pushed me to study fiction writing.
How and when did you and your husband meet? Was it love at first sight? What does he think about your being an author?
We met in junior high. And we couldn’t stand each other. Ha! After
a time we became friends. I planned to not marry. After seeing divorce from the
kid’s side, I wanted no part of seeing it from the adult side. Stephen was searching
for a wife. God put love for me in his heart, which scared me to death. God
grew love in me for Stephen over time. We’ll be married thirty-two years in
May. Stephen supports my writing 100% and doesn’t want me to use a pen name, so
others will believe he’s married to me. J
How old are your children? Do they read your books? Have any of them got the writing bug, as well?
We have two sons, 28 and 24, and a daughter who’s 18. My
first novel wasn’t published until after my oldest had left home, but my other
two children have read parts of many of my writings. My second son has a great
writing voice, but I don’t know if he’ll pursue publication. My daughter has a
fantastic ear for editing. I often read passages aloud to her, and she catches
things I don’t.
How do you research the communities and people you write about? Do you find yourself having to do a lot of research?
I created a fictional community for The Barn Church series,
so I was able to make it what I wanted. My research is story-specific. For The Spindle Chair (book one) I
researched childhood trauma, pregnancy complications, even dementia. Those make
the novel sound ominous—it’s not. It’s a story of hope and healing. Sticks and Stones (book two) required me
consulting an oral surgeon, two voice coaches, and my daughter regarding
particulars about horses. For Abide With Me (book three), I interviewed a very
experienced police officer, and researched painting and art techniques.
Which is your favorite book? Do you have a character in your
books you identify with the most?
I can’t pick a favorite. Neither a book nor a character. Each
of my characters is partly me. I’ve lived or continue to live their journey. The Spindle Chair focuses on how pain
from our past can affect our marriage—I’ve lived that. Sticks and Stones
highlights how a crisis can cause bad habits we don’t know how to break. I’ve
lived that, too. Abide With Me
contains the message I wish I could speak to every marriage, a truth God
reinforces to me on a regular basis—everything I need to know about marriage I
can learn from my relationship with Him.
Share
your bio
Shellie Arnold is a writer and speaker on marriage and
family. She truly believes—despite baggage, neglect, or mistakes—if a husband
and wife listen to God, they can live happily even after. Her passion is sharing how God is helping her do
exactly that. She maintains a blog at www.shelliearnold.com and is the founder of
YOUR MARRIAGE resources. Shellie is a mother of three and has home schooled for
over twenty years. She lives in Ohio with her husband of thirty-one years.
Links
to buy and social media
The Spindle Chair https://tinyurl.com/y7clcev6
Sticks and Stones https://tinyurl.com/y7nfjebe
Abide With Me https://tinyurl.com/y92rh2mo
Autographed copies are
available through my web site. www.shelliearnold.com
3 comments:
Thank you for the interview with Shellie Arnold.
marilynridgway78[at] gmail[dot]com
I love the interview. It sounds like a great book to read. The characters sound great. What a plot. It is like what is happening to people of today. Thank you for the giveaway. mommystuck1(at)optonline(dot)net
Congratulations to Tammy
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