fiction saturdays: interview with penny zeller

Contest Alert!! Penny is giving away a copy of her novel: Kaydie. Leave a comment on this blog post with your email address to enter. Winner announced on May 30th.

I’m excited about our interview today with novelist Penny Zeller. Penny writes inspirational historical romance and her latest book Kaydie, the second in the Montana Skies series, releases this month.

*Welcome to The Literary Mama Penny. Tell us a little about yourself. It is an honor to be here, Preslaysa! Here is a bit about me in third person (to borrow your words)

Penny Zeller is the author of several books and numerous magazine articles in national and regional publications. She is also the author of the humor blog “A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author” (www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com). She is an active volunteer in her community, serving as a women’s Bible study small-group leader and co-organizing a women’s prayer group. Penny devotes her time to assisting and nurturing women and children into a closer relationship with Christ.  Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His kingdom. Kaydie follows McKenzie in Montana Skies, her first series with Whitaker House. When she’s not writing, Penny enjoys spending time with her family and camping, hiking, canoeing, and playing volleyball. She and her husband, Lon, reside in Wyoming with their two children. Penny loves to hear from her readers at her Website, www.pennyzeller.com.

*As a wife, mom and author, how do you balance it all?

Actually, Preslaysa, I’m still working on figuring that out *grins* But really, I think prioritizing is one of the biggest challenges of being a writer, especially since I work from home and have a family. I have posted my writing hours on my office door, not so much for visitors, but for myself.  It reminds me that if I don’t set time aside for my writing, it will be spent doing a host of other “necessary” things.

I have to be deliberate about putting aside time for my writing.  I work while my children are in school and then quit for the day when they come home.  My husband and my children are my main ministry, so they are the most important. I also do a lot of volunteer work. In order to keep my priorities in perspective, which is critical, I spend a lot of time in prayer seeking God’s guidance in using my time wisely.  

*What is Kaydie about?

I am thrilled about the release of Kaydie. Here is a short blurb –

 Kaydie is haunted by memories of her abusive husband. As she awaits her baby’s birth, she builds a protective wall around herself.

Deserted by his mother at a young age and despised by his father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there’s something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.

Will Kaydie and Jonah trust God to guard their hearts in the arms of each other?

*How did you come up with the concept for Kaydie? 

When Whitaker House contracted me for a three-book series, I was thrilled to be able to tell Kaydie’s story, as it is such a touching story of hope, love, and dependence on God.

It always amazes me how God inspires and uses us to write about things that can touch the life of another. I once worked as a caseworker in a branch of social services. While I didn’t deal directly with victims of violence, I did see the end result of it in many of my cases.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, “one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.” I am thankful that more awareness has been brought to this atrocity and I wanted to give hope to any woman in an abusive marriage. God does care and He is there to be a refuge – an ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

In the 1800s, there was nowhere for a woman to go if she found herself in an abusive marriage. Her choices were limited. The story of Kaydie takes place in 1882. While Kaydie felt so alone and helpless at times while being married to an abusive man, she sought the Lord through prayer. Though she didn’t yet have a personal relationship with Him, she did know that God would hear those prayers and that He would help her. God is not unaware of what goes on in the world He created and His heart breaks at the painful experiences His children go through at the hands of another. In Psalm 139 we are told “before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.” God knew Kaydie’s choice in a husband had led her to a life of manipulation and abuse, and He loved her, cared for her, and protected her and her unborn child.

I also wanted to show throughout the pages of Kaydie that wounds from an abusive marriage do not heal overnight and there is no “quick fix.” Such painful scars from the physical, emotional, and mental turmoil take time to overcome. But with God’s unconditional love and help, revealed through the people He placed in Kaydie’s path, she would ultimately find peace and healing.

I would also like to mention, that while the subject of domestic violence is a difficult one, the story of Kaydie does not include any graphic descriptions and can be enjoyed by adults and teens alike.

*How much research do you undertake while writing historical fiction?

I love the mid-to-late-1800s, so I actually enjoy research. I spend a lot of time researching books and also online. As a visual person, it really helps me to have a picture of the setting, the house, and other items, such as the tin cookie cutters Kaydie used to make gingerbread cookies in the book.

*How did you know you were called to write?

I have had a love for writing since I was in second grade and rewrote Bible stories in my own little second grade commentary.J Throughout my school years, I would write stories and “publish” numerous stories in homemade cardboard books. In high school, I wrote stories where my friends were the main characters.

Fast forward several years to November of 2000 when I surrendered my writing to the Lord. I quit my fulltime job with a social services governmental agency so I could stay home with my infant daughter. That was the start of my career, beginning with writing magazine articles. Writing is my ministry and my passion and I pray I will glorify Him with each word I write.

*What is your favorite bible verse?

I have so many favorite Bible verses, but if I had to narrow it down, I would say it’s a tie between Psalm 19:14 and Psalm 91.

*What other new projects do you have in the future?

 I just finished the third and final book in the series, Hailee, which is scheduled for release in September. I’m also working on a second historical romance series that takes place in the Post-Civil War Era. I recently finished book one in the series and have started writing book two.

*What is one thing people may be surprised to know about you?

Hmmm, let’s see…when I was 10, I made up this romantic suspense series in my mind where the main character was the handsome and fictional police officer, Josh McClain. Everyday, my younger sister and cousin would excitedly ask me what was going on in Josh’s life (and in the life of the main female character) and what crimes Josh had solved.

I loved telling them my sister and cousin stories about Josh McClain that I had made up in my mind from the night before (usually when I should have been sleeping!) and leaving them at a cliffhanger until I could make up some more details the following night.

*How can readers get in touch with you?

I love to connect with my readers at my website www.pennyzeller.com,

my blog www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com,

on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pennyzeller, and

on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959?ref=ts

Thanks for stopping by today! Thank you again, Preslaysa, for graciously allowing me to be your guest!

You can order Kaydie at (links to be inserted) everywhere books are sold, including Amazon and CBD.