I haven’t read Ada’s books, but please take a look and see if they are what you are looking for!
1. Many people say that authors can’t or don’t do well with more than one genre. You have a biography about your life as a Pentecostal, a Bible study about the eternal, a teen suspense novel, a YA Bible study, and now you’re working on a historical romance. What do you think prepared you or qualifies you to write these different types of books?
Study and a burning desire to communicate the gospel. I’ve written for half a century and I still study techniques and learn. I’ve also learned much by paying attention, research, interviewing experts and ordinary people, and drawing on experiences from teaching youth, being a newspaper reporter where in the years I worked and the probably thousands of stories I wrote, my pen touched almost every segment of society in that city of 100,000.
2. Tell us a little about your “real” (Non-writing) life — family, job, church life. Does it give you inspiration for your writing? Does it get in the way of your writing, or are there times when you get help, from people or circumstances?
I think now that I’m retired and devote many hours to writing that it touches every part of me, and the people I meet and the things around me touch my writing. You’ll easily see that in my new book, Imagine the Future You, released on Oct. 23.
3. Tell us about working with any people who help you create your books — Do you use Beta readers? Hire an editor or proofreader? How do you get your covers?
My first book, Confessions of a Pentecostal, was published by Radiant Books, a division of the Assemblies of God and was in galley proofs before I had a contract or knew it was accepted. I’ve worked with CreateSpace editors the last three books and all of them had good suggestions for changes, but didn’t do much to my copy except change my in-grown AP style to Chicago Manual of Style. I should be thankful all three editors commented on my clean copy, but every time there were typos after all the editing, approved corrections and proofs.
4. Since you have several books out, tell us what you think works for promotion. What are your thoughts on ebooks versus print books and different ways to let people know about you and your books?
I talked to a Christian bookstore owner yesterday who carries my titles. I complained how almost everyone at a ladies conference where I was a vendor wanted e-books instead of paperback. He said his book sales are really down this year, but there are people buying CDs, greeting cards, and gifts.
For promotion, I try anything to get my name out there. I’m just beginning promotion for the new book on Twitter, Facebook, and guest blogs. I have a newsletter almost ready to go and I’ll create News Releases soon. I’ve developed a mailing list for News Releases with all the small newspapers in my city, but I also include the large paper as well.
Another thing I do and plan to keep doing, is write for Christian publications, and I write op-ed pieces occasionally for newspapers. I don’t know if it creates sales, but some publish my blog link, but with these I reach 50,000, 60,000, and 200,000. Since I want to spread the gospel, an op-ed piece or a story in a Christian publication reaches far more readers than any of my books so far. Yet, I wouldn’t mind a best seller.
5. Tell us about your newest book. Make us want to read it.
I want to live forever, I want my children and grandchildren to live forever, and if I didn’t know Jesus I’d want someone to give me a book like Imagine the Future You. Here’s the way the back cover copy starts.
Will you be the person you dream of being—or someone from your nightmares?
You don’t need a fortune teller to reveal your future. You are the person who determines who you will be, what your life will be like, and how your hopes and dreams will be fulfilled. This book will show how to make the right connections, how to grow you talents, and how to begin believing in yourself and things greater than yourself—for a wonderful Future You!
The book is a motivational Bible Study for youth, but older people can be impacted by much of it, such as the chapter on why you can believe in God and avoid the brainwashing of our schools and society.
6. Share something that makes you laugh, with just plain humor, or happiness, or because it’s so stupid.
My friend is always teasing her husband when the four of us are together. One day she asked me, “Did you notice his new rainbow tie? There’s a pot at the end of it.”
Another day she said, “My husband is well balanced. He has a bubble in the middle.”
7. Share something that’s amazing, touching, or that makes you angry.
This touched me. Today at Bible study a beautiful Chinese woman shared the testimony of her conversion. Although she had success in learning English and teaching it as a second language in China, and even was asked to join the Communist party, she had a gnawing emptiness inside. She heard the gospel through missionary/teachers in China, and had a vision of heaven the day she accepted Jesus as Savior. But when she came to America to attend Central Bible College, loneliness for her family, culture and Chinese friends plagued her. Sometimes she was tempted to go back to China. She was fond of an unusual variety of mushroom that grew in her homeland, and one day feeling unloved she looked into the back yard and a cluster of those mushrooms grew there. She picked them, had one delicious meal, and they never grew again. But the love message God sent to her remains.
8. What’s your next project? Tell us so we can’t wait for it to come out!
The Lady Fugitive. I can’t wait to get back to it. I’m hoping to have it out in two or three months.
In 1907 Jenny Louise Parks, 17, escapes from her abusive uncle, a judge, and tries to run away. He locks her in her room. When she goes out the window and down the trellis, he puts her in the coal cellar. She gets free through the delivery slot, jumps on her horse and heads for the train in a disguise.
The judge and his men follow. She takes off in another direction. She’d rather die than go back to her home with the judge in it. Everywhere she goes Wanted posters with her picture offer a $500 reward. The judge won’t inherit Jenny’s parents’ ranch unless he keeps her until age 21.
The evening before her escape, Jenny meets William O’Casey, a young peddler. O’Casey travels, peddling household goods, looking for his missing brother, and showing a Passion of the Christ picture show (one of the first created). He had wanted to meet Jenny since attending her elocution performances in Peachville, Colo.
In an abandoned house, the first night after leaving home, Jenny encounters a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Her screams reach O’Casey, traveling on a nearby road. He shoots the reptile and assures her God is looking after her as He does the birds and His sheep, but she thinks, “Where was God when Papa and Mama died?”
Please send images and links, including any good reviews or news you want to share about your books.
IMAGINE REVIEW
Ada Brownell pens a book challenging young readers to imagine themselves in the future based on the choices they’re making today. In 13 thought-provoking chapters, Brownell writes in a way that not only resonates with her teenage audience, but also encourages them. Giving insights into her life as a teen and providing timely morsels of truth about God’s Word will leave any reader (adults included) inspired and dedicated to living a life for Christ and growing in their walk with Him. Highly recommended! ~ Penny Zeller, Christian Author and Speaker
Ada Brownell bio
Ada Brownell, a devoted Bible student, has written for Christian publications since age 15 and spent much of her life as a daily newspaper reporter at The Pueblo Chieftain in Colo. After moving to Springfield, MO in her retirement, she continues to free lance for Sunday school papers, Christian magazines and write books. She is author of three non-fiction works, one novel, and is critique group leader of Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers.
Among her books: Joe the Dreamer: The Castle and the Catapult, released Jan. 15, 2013; Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal, released Dec. 6, 2011; and Confessions of a Pentecostal, published by the Assemblies of God’s Gospel Publishing House in 1978, out- of-print but released in 2012 for Kindle; Imagine the Future You, a youth Bible study, became available October 2011. All the books are available in paper or for Kindle.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/AdaBrownellWritingMinistries
Twitter: @adellerella
Blog: http://inkfromanearthenvessel.blogspot.com Stick to Your Soul Encouragement
Amazon Ada Brownell author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06
Imagine the Future You: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1489558284
FINDLEY FAMILY VIDEO 