Author interview with Kathleen Neely

Kathleen Neely resides in Greenville, SC with her husband, two cats, and one dog. She is a retired elementary principal, and enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.

She is the author of The Street Singer, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through Pelican Books. Beauty for Ashes will release on April 26 and The Least of These will be available in May, 2019. Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance”. Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her first novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions.

Kathleen continues to speak to students about writing and publication processes. She is a member of Association of Christian Fiction Writers.

What made you decide to become a writer?

                                                                                                

I’m a reader. I love a book-club format of discussing novels—dissecting plot, characterization, take-aways. I think writing is a natural extension of that love.  I dabbled for years, but it wasn’t until I retired that I had the time to commit to writing.

Where did the inspiration for your latest book come from? 

Beauty for Ashes is scheduled for release on April 26. My inspiration came from one of my favorite authors, Charles Martin, and his novel, Water from My Heart. In this wonderful novel, he introduced a protagonist who came face to face with the consequences of his decisions. Martin did a superb job in fleshing that out. I knew that I wanted to write something with a similar take-away.

Beauty for Ashes is a different story, a different setting, plot, and characters. Yet I believe that thematically, both novels speak to the far-reaching consequences of actions, the pain of guilt, and the beauty of forgiveness.

How does your faith and spirituality work in with your writing? 

Overt discussion of faith doesn’t always fit in a story. Forcing the message where it doesn’t fit can weaken a novel. That doesn’t mean it’s absent. True faith never leaves you. It’s an integral part of who you are. No part of life is exempt from it. I don’t read Christian fiction so I can hear a Sunday sermon. I read it because faith is integrated throughout the book. That’s the way I like to share my faith in story—weaving it gently through the lives of characters I create.

What do you want readers to come away with after reading your books?

One of the best comments I received from a reader was when she told me she couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after she finished the book. That’s what I hope to accomplish—a story that makes readers think, that makes characters come alive.

What is one of your favorite scenes in [book name]?

I have favorite scenes in each book, but I’ll share one from Beauty for Ashes (scheduled for release in April.) Angie has to face her long-awaited symphony audition following events that have devastated her. She finds herself standing before the committee, her violin perched on her shoulder. She plays the first notes of a Puccini aria from La Boheme, the tragic love story of Mimi and Rodolfo. As her bow glides over the strings, she feels the agony of loss. Her violin cries out Rodolfo’s pain as he holds his dying lover. Angie has moved beyond technique, becoming one with the music, her pain merging with Rodolfo’s. The music builds in intensity, reaching its crescendo as Mimi breaths her last breath and Angie mourns her own lost love.

When you are stressed, maybe a deadline’s approaching too fast, what is your favorite snack food? Or so you have another way to cope?

Red wine, dark chocolate, and Twizzlers. They can cure all manner of stress.

What are you working on next? 

I’ve been working on a novel titled True North (title subject to change). I delve into a scenario where Mallory, a teenage mother gives her son up, knowing she’s not equipped to raise him. Ten years later, circumstances allow her an opportunity to be part of her son’s life. Samuel has no knowledge he was adopted. The biological father has no knowledge that he has a son. After getting a second chance to be part of Samuel’s life, it all comes crumbling down. Will Mallory lose him again?

Throw in a few surprises and a little romance, I think readers will enjoy it.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to your readers.

Trisha Mills, a student in her final semester of law school, has fond memories of listening to the music of Adaline, a once famous recording artist. She learns that Adaline, now Adda
Marsh, is a street singer in Asheville, NC. Adda’s sole means of support in her senior years comes from the donation box. Along with her meager possessions, Adda has a box labeled, “Things to Remember.” Adda agrees to show Trisha the contents. With it comes her story. Adda reveals her journey by sharing a few items at a time, beginning as a sharecropper’s daughter in Mississippi, to fame in Nashville, and to poverty in her old age.

Trisha is busy cleaning out the home of her deceased grandfather, preparing to sit for the bar exam, and planning her wedding to Grant Ramsey. However, she cannot overlook the
injustices that Adda has experienced. Aided by Rusty Bergstrom, an attorney who will work pro bono, Trisha convinces Adda to seek restitution. Will her growing friendship with Rusty Bergstrom affect her engagement to Grant?

The Street Singer is available at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

PBG  

Website – www.KathleenNeely.com

Facebook – www.facebook.com/kathy.neely.98

Twitter - https://twitter.com/NeelyKneely3628