Hey Visionaries! I'm so excited to bring you guys another author interview. Things have been touch and go with a posting schedule. Right now I'm aiming for once a month over here...lol...I just can't seem to remember to do it more than that. But maybe someday soon that will change.
Anyway, here is the interview:
Hey Bethany, it’s great to have you on Writers’ Vision today! I’m super excited to ask you some questions!
Hi Kayti! Thank you so much for having me! I always enjoy a good bookish chat.
First up, tell us a little about yourself.
Of course! Well, for those who don’t know me, I’m a Christian historical fiction author, coffee addict, and horse lover. My faith in Christ is a huge part of me, and I try to center my entire life around it.
I started writing books when I was just learning how to spell. For a period of time when I was little, our family traveled a lot. I would sit in the back of the van with my notebook and yell to my mom in the front, “Mom how do you write (word)…” She would tell me the correct letters, I would put them on paper, and slowly a story would form.
This is the 2nd book you’ve written, did you always know you were going to write a sequel to Sins of the Past or did it just show up one day?
I never planned on writing a sequel to Sins of the Past, though there was definitely potential for it. After publishing my first book, I moved on and wrote the entire rough draft of a completely different novel. However, people kept asking if I was going to do a second book about Matthew. It seemed readers weren’t quite satisfied with the way Sins of the Past ended. So, I left the rough draft of my new book and came back to Matthew’s story. After I made that decision, writing Tomorrow’s Promise came quite easily.
What did your writing process look like for this book?
It’s funny. Even though I didn’t plan on writing a sequel, I made an outline for it shortly after publishing Sins of the Past. I guess it was a way of completing the story in my brain, even though I didn’t expect it to ever reach book form. Later when I decided to write it after all, I just returned to the outline, made a few changes, and wrote the book. I’m very much a planner when it comes to writing. I like to have an outline and stick to it. Even so, I often end up adding or removing certain things as I go. The self-editing process always brings a lot of changes to my books.
What was one of the hardest parts of writing Tomorrow’s Promise?
When you write a sequel to a book that was successful, you feel a lot of pressure to get it just right. This was somewhat of a struggle for me as I was drafting Tomorrow’s Promise. I didn’t want to disappoint my readers, knowing they each had certain expectations of where the story should go. A lot of thought went into this sequel, and in the end, I was happy with how it turned out.
What is your biggest tip for other authors?
Get feedback on your writing. I can’t tell you how much this one thing has helped me! So often I feel like something is missing in a story, but I can’t pinpoint what. When I get help from others (particularly my mom and sisters), it’s so much easier.
When I finish a rough draft, I always get several family members and friends to read through it so they can help me brainstorm and make it the best it can be. Their suggestions are invaluable!
Who is your favorite character in Tomorrow’s Promise?
Definitely Matthew! I just love his calm, but quick-thinking, personality…and of course, that mysterious side to him. I had so much fun writing Matthew’s story in Sins of the Past, and it was exciting to return to it in Tomorrow’s Promise (even though the sequel doesn’t focus exclusively on him).
What is one of the hardest challenges you’ve faced as an Indie Author?
I’ve gotta say what almost every indie author says - the marketing! It’s a lot of work and requires so much time. However, I’m thankful for what I’ve learned, and I trust I’m slowly getting better at it. I even enjoy certain aspects of it sometimes. :)
Do you prefer writing from a female or male POV best?
Honestly, I like to do both (as readers have likely noticed in my books). I enjoy writing the two different perspectives because it gives such a neat contrast and it’s a way of revealing information to the reader before everyone else in the story finds out.
What can we expect from you in the future? pulls a chair up and leans forward with interest
I hope to continue publishing many books in the future, but it really depends on how the Lord leads. As I mentioned previously, I wrote the complete rough draft of another book between publishing Sins of the Past and Tomorrow’s Promise. I hope to come back to this project when I have more time again. It’s a story that was so fun and easy to write – plus, it centers around one of my favorite characters I’ve ever written!
Last question, what is your why as a writer?
I believe that fiction truly matters. Novels have a strong influence on readers, whether good or bad. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”. Our words are so important because they have an impact on those who hear them.
I strive to be an encouragement to others through my writing, and most importantly, to share the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you so much for letting me interview you!
Thank you, Kayti! I really enjoyed this, and I appreciate each and everyone who took the time to read this interview!
For those that don't know, Bethany is releasing a sequel to her western Sins of the Past! You can learn more about that here: https://www.bethanyklassenbooks.com/
And read my review of Sins of the Past here: https://www.writers-vision.com/post/review-of-sins-of-the-past-by-bethany-klassen
Bless!
Kaytlin (Kayti) Phillips
Thanks for the blog post, Kayti! You did a wonderful job. :)