Interview with Nancy Kimball

I'm so excited to introduce you to my friend Nancy Kimball. Her debut novel Chasing the Lion is amazing, and if you haven't already read it, you need to now. Well, right after you read this interview.

 

Nancy was the first person I met when I joined the Houston chapter of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She has the gift of hospitality in addition to the ability to take readers on a literary roller coaster ride.

1. Thanks for stopping by Stitches Thru Time, Nancy. Can you tell us about Chasing the Lion?
This story burdened me with an overwhelming responsibility to steward it well. Jonathan was a much better character than I was an author, and it took me a few years to catch up to him. His story has become so much more than the tale of a young Roman noble betrayed into slavery who would come to faith as a gladiator and save the life of the woman he loves. Bringing his story to the page affected me deeply and was used by God in my life repeatedly. To see and hear this story resonating with readers as deeply as it is blesses me so much, and I hope it inspires others to never give up.

2. That is a good lesson--and a hard one to learn. Jonathan, the hero, is a fantastic character who goes through one hardship after another. Just when I thought he was going to be okay, you'd put him in danger again! Why do you think Jonathan will win the hearts of readers?
Jonathan's drive to always do the right thing runs marrow-deep. Even when it's misdirected in his own anger and frustration, or heartrendingly being used against him, the man that he is deep within demands it. As we watch his journey in its broken failures and soaring triumphs on a divine course to his destiny, at times the reader sees in him who we really are in the dark, and who we hope to be, in equal measures along the way.

 

 

3. Early reviews (mine included) compare Chasing the Lion to Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series. How does that make you feel?



Well, I was conditioned in query and proposal not to compare yourself to the greats ever, so I didn't. (Watch me tell the truth right here and shame the devil, LOL) Honestly, though, I was praying that just ONE of my endorsers would say that. Nope, haha. So I almost asked, but then knew it wasn't fair to solicit it so I just let it go. When the reviews started coming into Amazon, I had to laugh at God. It is both deeply humbling, and also makes me nervous. Nervous because Jonathan's story is very different from the beloved Hadassah, Marcus and Atretes. I don't want readers to expect a retelling of Mark of the Lion because they will be disappointed if so. I believe the comparison comes from the epic scope of a long and tedious faith journey through some very difficult circumstances. That's a battle that is timeless, whether in Ancient Rome or contemporary culture, and part of what I hope readers take away.

4. Chasing the Lion releases June 1st. After pursuing traditional publishing for years, what made you

jump into the indie water?
The paperback and Kindle version are available now at Amazon, and for Nook at Barnes & Noble. June 1st is our official launch date and the one we've been pushing to give our early readers and core influencers time to get reviews posted and iron out an Indie kinks. Which there were none, Praise Jesus! =) I'm grateful for what I learned and the connections I made in the four years I pursued traditional publication. Ultimately, I decided it wasn't fair to Jonathan and the many people who believed in his story to delay any longer. And I was honest with myself that holding out for a contract with a prestigious traditional publisher had become more about pride than anything else. The surest way to slay that dragon was to go forward in faith as an Indie author and self-publish.

5. What are you working on now?
Ohh, I'm so glad you asked! I'm working on the audiobook due out  August 10th. God blessed us with an amazing narrator, Joseph Narducci, who loves the Lord and if talent were sand, he'd cover an entire gladiator arena. I squeal like a little school girl every time he uploads a new chapter to approve because for the first time, I get to experience Chasing the Lion like the readers do. I never know quite how Joseph will interpret a scene, or a character, and it's like watching the movie with my eyes closed. When I'm not binging on the audio like it's the first box of Girl Scout cookies, I'm working hard on Book 2 in the series, Charging the Darkness.

To learn more about Chasing the Lion, and connect with Nancy, visit her official website, http://www.nancykimball.com/.

Okay, now you can go to Amazon and check out Chasing the Lion.