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Author Interview
When did you first realize you
wanted to be a writer?
I don’t remember a conscious
decision. I think that’s just the way the Lord made me. I’ve always loved
writing and making stories up in my head for as long as I can remember. Every once in a while, I’ll find a page of an
ancient second or third grade short story and chuckle as I read it and try to
decipher the context.
.
What is your work schedule like
when you're writing?
Right now, I’m self-employed, so I
can just flip flop my schedule around to what works best.
What would you say is your
interesting writing quirk?
Like I have any writing
quirks…. ;) Probably my most interesting
one is the fact that my characters refuse to ever conform to my outline. Sure,
I start out with a neat and detailed plan, but by mid-story, sometimes before,
my characters are all running every which-a-way in their own directions.
Sometimes the “good guys” turn into bad guys. Sometimes scenes from the end
move up to the middle. Sometimes the wrong people fall in love, and even other
times a deep, dark secret that I didn’t even know about will just pop up from
somebody’s past. Surprises… that’s what makes writing so fun!
What do you like to do when you're
not writing?
I love life! One of my favorite
things to do is to run outside, especially on a dew-glistening, bird-singing,
apple-blossomed, spring morning… just to run toward a painted sunrise and feel
absorbed in the beauty of God’s creation! I love riding my horse down the gravel
road or through the cornfields. I love chilly fall days… a cool breeze floating
in a slightly open window and feeling the warm apple-scented steam as you slide a crusty, golden, apple
pie out of the oven just as a drip of cinnamon syrup bubbles out and sizzles. I
like a crisp, breezy walk through a pumpkin patch or a swim in a Wisconsin lake. I like camping in the North Woods or
browsing souvenir shops. I’ve enjoyed climbing cliffs in the Blue Ridge and
drivin’ by buffalo in Yellowstone. I love findin’
deals at garage sales and hangin’ out with my family… cookout style or pizza
and popcorn movie nights. My favorite time is Christmas… It’s A Wonderful Life in the DVD player, a fire crackling in the
corner, the pop of popcorn, and the sweet aroma of hot chocolate as we hang
ornaments and wrap lights around our Christmas tree and nativity scene. I love
seeing the Lord work in my life and teach me new things. I love Him because He
first loved me. He’s shown me His love sooo many times in my life! One of my
favorite verses is “Thy gentleness hath made me great.” He’s the giver of life,
the one who makes daffodils smile and the thunderclouds clap. I love life,
love, loyalty, and laughter.
What does your family think of your
writing?
They are all very supportive and
encouraging! I loved giving them my new book and hearing what they thought of
it. I really appreciated their suggestions before I was satisfied with my final
copy.
Do you have any suggestions to help
readers interested in writing become better?
If so, what are they?
Always pray about your writing. You
couldn’t get a better teacher.
Just keep writing. Progress can be
amazing if you just keep practicing until you get the hang of it.
Make it fun, and keep it fun. If
you get bored with it or lose track of where you’re going, you’ll likely stop.
Start with an outline for
structure, but then add some surprises to keep yourself guessing.
Do you hear from your readers much?
Sometimes. I always enjoy hearing from them.
Sometimes. I always enjoy hearing from them.
What do you think makes a good
story?
Action, a good plot, likeable and
admirable characters, emotion, human interaction, purity of relationships,
cleanness in language, mystery… but most of all, it needs to honor God. I loved
writing this book, but it would always feel empty and useless to me if there
wasn’t a higher purpose in writing it than making money. If you pray about it
and are truly writing for Him, I believe He will cause everything else to fall
into place
As a child, what did you want to do
when you grew up?
Be a teacher…or a vet...a nurse… or
a fireman… a restaurant owner… or a mom with 12 kids….
For viewers who have not read, but
are interested in your book, can you describe it please?
Fire Storm is about a couple of
young families living excessively normal lives in a small-town, farming
community in Northern Illinois. Wade is a
paramedic. His wife, Mellissa, works in a lawyer’s office, and they are
expecting a baby very soon. Their best friends, Jim and Jessica, live on a
small horse farm out in the country. Jim is a fireman. Jess is a stay-at-home
mom with her recently born little girl. Life is fun and carefree till… Jess
starts running into threats at every turn. Are they even threats or just accidents?
The thought of a killer being after Jess just seems so ridiculous… though not
so much… when she comes eye to eye with murder! Who and Why? What about Wade ‘n
Mellissa? Will they remain safe in their young existence as they embark in the
beginnings of life’s journey, or will the epidemic of murder spread? How far
does it reach? What are the secrets?
How and when did you become a
Christian?
When I was five, I prayed with my
mom after hearing a Christian radio testimony, then I prayed the same prayer
quite a few times after that whenever doubts arose after a salvation message. I
got complete assurance of my salvation when I was eight and started growing in
the Lord. I know I was saved before that. That is just when the Lord removed
all doubt. So, I can’t honestly point to an exact date, but I’m 100% sure that
I’m in God’s family, that He watches over me, protecting me many times, that He
loves me, blessing me with countless surprises that are much more then luck,
that He teaches me, not only spiritual but also physical things, and that He’s
always there whenever I need Him.
How does God affect your writing?
He gave me the talent to write. He
gave me an imagination and a love for stories. He put me in a strongly
Christian home where I received wisdom about spiritual things and knowledge of
true love, sacrifice, and care. He saved me and gave me a reason to write. Fire
Storm was written for Him and dedicated to Him, and by His grace, I pray that
every book I write will always point heavenward and never downward toward
worldly lusts.
Who is your favorite character in
your book?
That’s hard to say. I like all my
characters. They are all different and unique.
I like variety. The world needs rich and poor, plain and fancy, strong
and weak, dream-chasers and content daily laborers, business women and
stay-at-home moms, flippant and flighty and rigid work-a-holics. If there was
one “right” type of person or one perfect race, the world would be sooo dull.
Everyone fiction or real has their very own story.
What was the hardest part to write
in the book?
The Salvation message. It carries
the greatest responsibility.
“But we have no enemies!”… Why would a young
mother, happily married and safely nestled amongst the cornfields of small town
Illinois
suddenly start finding murder attempts around every corner?
A fireman, Jim thrives on danger, that is until it creeps closer than he ever expected – not to him, but to the one he loves more than life itself – his wife. Who and why? How can the “protector” keep his most cherished possession from this unseen killer?
Totally innocent – untouched by evil, Jess cannot explain or understand the incidents threatening her very existence. Holding on to her husband and clinging to her knowledge of a powerful God, she can only strive to keep trust in her soul and a smile in her heart, as the icy fingers of death lurk, coiled behind every corner. Safe in innocence, secure in love – marked for murder! God bless our home – if it doesn’t blow up!
A fireman, Jim thrives on danger, that is until it creeps closer than he ever expected – not to him, but to the one he loves more than life itself – his wife. Who and why? How can the “protector” keep his most cherished possession from this unseen killer?
Totally innocent – untouched by evil, Jess cannot explain or understand the incidents threatening her very existence. Holding on to her husband and clinging to her knowledge of a powerful God, she can only strive to keep trust in her soul and a smile in her heart, as the icy fingers of death lurk, coiled behind every corner. Safe in innocence, secure in love – marked for murder! God bless our home – if it doesn’t blow up!
Chapter 1
Bright autumn leaves whirled around an even brighter red
F-150 spurting down the gravel road. At the wheel, Jim Richards, enjoying the
cool breeze ruffling his hair and the warm sun tanning the side of his face,
had his arm through the open window. In his opinion, northern Illinois was at its peak in the fall. He
glanced around at the walls of corn drying on either side of the road, brown
with just a hint of green. They’ll
harvest ‘em pretty soon.
Jim
returned a wave from the driver of an oncoming car. He didn’t know who it was.
People were just friendly like that in this small-town, farming community. He
and his wife, Jessica, farmed a few acres of hay and bred a small herd on a
little horse farm between the village
of Oak Creek and the larger town of Spring Valley.
For an average-size guy, Jim’s frame sported a lot of solid
muscle. He liked to work and enjoyed a healthy lifestyle. His blond hair was
dark, almost brown, cut short and combed to the side. His eyes were a soft,
sky-blue and held a mixture of humor, determination, kindness, compassion, or
anger – whatever the situation called for.
Giant, white cotton ball clouds made
the sky seem bluer than normal. Jim glanced down at the clock. Better hurry. You’re gonna be late for work.
Pushing down on the accelerator, he knew he was going a little faster than
he should on these curvy, gravel roads, but he told himself he had grown up
around here and knew the area like the back of his hand.
He slowed to the speed limit as he
turned onto the main drag going into Spring Valley.
Jim flipped off the radio. It never
took him very long to get annoyed with it. It was always on the Chicago “all-news”
station, and he really couldn’t care less how the traffic was moving on the
Eisenhower or the Kennedy. If there was anything else on that station, he never
knew, since he always turned if off before he heard it.
Huh,
car in my spot, he thought to himself, as he pulled into the parking lot of
the Spring Valley Fire Station.
Jim walked into the locker room.
“Hey, Thundercloud, exactly what are you doing in my parking place?” Jim asked
his best friend, jokingly.
“Your
parking place? Your deed of ownership, please?” Wade Thundercloud held out his
hand.
“Squatter’s rights, my brother. Everyone
knows that is my parking place.” Jim took his uniform shirt out of his locker.
“Uh oh, looks like another storm’s a
brewin’ between Jim and Big Chief Thundercloud,” Carlos laughed.
“Did I miss something?” a fireman
Jim didn’t know asked.
“It’s relentless persecution for my
name,” Wade grumbled, buckling his belt.
“His name’s Wade Thundercloud. In
case you haven’t noticed, the boy’s a full blooded redskin,” Carlos, a brawny,
Hispanic fireman, explained as he buttoned his shirt.
Wade rolled his eyes. “Isn’t that a
racist statement?”
Carlos laughed, “Awww…we hurt the
little guy’s feelings.”
Wade threw his shirt at Carlos. “Oh,
it’s on.”
“Yeah, maybe we should change the
subject,” Jim suggested.
“Hey, I was kinda enjoying it. The
guys at my last station were, like, way too serious,” the new guy protested.
“Yeah, talkin’ ‘bout that, who are
you anyway? Derrick get kicked out or something?” Jim put his foot on the
paint-chipped bench to tie his shoelace.
“Name’s Travis. Derrick’s sick or something, so I got called
over as his replacement.”
Jim nodded and began to tie his other shoe.
“Yeah, well, it’ll be nice to be partnered with a guy that
has a little more experience.” Wade straightened his collar. “Derrick’s been
out of the academy for almost two years, but he’s only twenty-one.” He buttoned
his cuffs. “He graduated from high school a year early when he was sixteen,
took one year of paramedic training, quit for a year, then took the last year
when he was nineteen.”
“Why’d he quit for a year?”
“Who knows with that kid.”
Jim gave Wade a sideways glance of disapproval.
“By the way, Jim.” Carlos tucked in his shirt. “Cap’s gone at
more divorce proceedings so we got Captain Johnson.”
Jim grunted an acknowledgment and
then closed his locker door. He was glad to be back to work and was ready for
action.
****************************************
Today was hay-stacking day. Jessica
Richards really didn’t mind. She loved being out in the barn with the smell of
hay. Besides, throwing hay bales all day was one way of keeping in shape, and what
girl didn’t want that? Of course, if her husband had been home, she would have
conned him into doing it or at least into helping.
She grabbed a bail in each hand and
climbed the ladder to the loft. People had commented that she was stronger than
she looked. She was only five-foot-three and one-hundred pounds. Her chestnut
hair fell thick and shiny to the middle of her back, and her deep brown eyes
danced with joy and excitement more often than not. At twenty-three, she was a
year younger than her husband and the proud mother of their beautiful baby
girl.
After two hours of strenuous
hay-stacking, Jess was beginning to wonder if the horses were worth all this
trouble. She plopped down on a bale of hay in the loft and sighed. Halfway done.
She just sat there a moment, leaning against the stack of hay
bales. She seriously contemplated just backing the hay wagon into the lower
half of the hay shed and calling it quits for the day. Why not just leave the wagon there permanently and save all this
trouble? After all, they never used this barn for anything other than hay,
anyway. She smiled to herself as she imagined Jim’s reaction to that idea. That
item of business would never make its way to a serious discussion bu-ut… She
chuckled at some humorous mental images of his likely aghast response and filed
the topic away in her memory as a good conversation starter to lighten the mood
some likely evening. Smile weakening, she huffed a sigh. Un-for-tun-ately… that
topic would have to keep for a while since he would not be coming home tonight.
She stretched. Maybe I
should go inside, get a glass of cool lemonade, and see how Morgan’s doin’.
Mrs. Robinson, an older lady from church, had offered to watch Morgan so she
could get some chores done. She wiped her face with her sleeve. It felt good to
sweat again. She hadn’t done much really hard labor since before she had
Morgan.
As she got up to go down, the smell of smoke drifted up to
her. She looked down the ladder. A thick cloud of dark gray smoke filled the
barn. Breathing into her sleeve, Jess practically jumped down the ladder,
frantic to get out. She raced for the door, but bright, daunting, orange flames
already billowed across that escape route. Smoke burned her eyes. She darted
for the back, but it was no good. Fire devoured the entire frame. Every wall
blazed. Her lungs burned from the smoke.
She turned a full circle but saw fire in every direction. I have to get out, now! Lord, please, please give me a way out! The
loft! Spinning around, she raced for the ladder. The heat grew more
intense. Flames crept around the ladder, but she knew she had to go for it. As
she raced to the top, the heat nearly overwhelmed her. Her lungs screamed for
air. Relief flooded her when she saw that the loft door wasn’t engulfed. Thank you, Lord.
Kicking the wooden doors open, she jumped, bracing herself
for the impact. Pain and gladness swept over her as she hit the ground. Gasping
for air, she was so glad to be alive. Thank
you, Lord. Thank you.
*********************************************
*********************************************
Jim sniffed
the air as he walked into the kitchen. “What’s that smell?”
“Wade’s cooking lunch today. We’ll
probably all end up in the ER with food poisoning,” Dan, their oldest
firefighter at forty-three, replied.
“Hey, don’t criticize my stew.”
“Stew?”
“Yeah, I found a prize-winning stew
recipe and a prize-winning soup recipe. I’m just gonna mix everything together,
and you won’t believe what I come up with.”
“I’m sure of that.”
“Just wait. You’ll love it.” Wade
stirred the concoction.
Jim looked skeptical. “Did you burn
something?”
“Well, the rice got a little done.”
BURRRUZZZ…
The deafening fire bell sounded. Wade switched off the stove and hurried after
the crowd out to the trucks. The address came over the loud speaker. Jim froze
as he grabbed his helmet. “That’s my house!” Carlos shoved Jim into the engine,
flipped on the sirens, and followed the squad out onto the road.
Jim’s heart raced, and his adrenaline pumped in overdrive. What happened? How did it start? Are Jess
and Morgan okay? Did they get out? Jim clutched the handle near the door
until his knuckles turned white. Faster!
Faster!
He could see the smoke billowing as they turned onto the
gravel road.
Fear invaded him as he saw flames plume above the hay barn. NO! Jess was going to be in there stacking
hay today! His heart pounded.
The engine swung into the driveway. The barn looked like a
lost cause. Jim’s eyes wildly scanned the area, looking for Jess. She stood in
the grass with the elderly babysitter a little ways from the barn, holding their
baby. Relief swept over him. They’re
okay.
As the engine came to a stop in the front of the barn, they
all piled out. Jim raced to his wife. As soon as he reached her, Jess handed
the baby to Mrs. Robinson and fell into his arms. He could smell the strong
odor of smoke on her. She hid her face in his shoulder. Now that she was in her
husband’s strong arms, she let tears flow and allowed herself some quiet sobs.
Jim could feel her shaking. He held her tight, resting his
cheekbone on her head. “Are you all right? I almost went crazy when I heard the
address and saw….” His voice trailed off.
“I’m fine. Twisted my ankle. Just gla… I’m just glad to be
alive.” Her voice shook.
“What happened?” He didn’t want to let go.
Wade put his hand on Jim’s shoulder. “They need your help,
man. We’ll take care of her.” Reluctantly, Jim surrendered her to the
paramedics and, after a final kiss, left to help with the fire.
The barn was so far gone that they decided just to contain it. Jim thanked the Lord that there was no wind and that
the fire had not spread to the main barn or the house.
After the fire was out, Jim took off his helmet and began
looking around for his wife. Seeing her seated on the ground leaning against
the squad, he took his equipment back to the truck and joined her.
“So how ya doin’?”
“I have been diagnosed with a twisted ankle and mild smoke
inhalation.” She coughed into her arm. “For a minute I thought I was a goner,
but the Lord showed me a way out.”
“I’m just so glad you weren’t hurt any worse.” He put his arm
around her and pulled her into a hug.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling so much
safer with him there. “Do they know how it started?”
Jim broke away from her gaze, glancing back at what had been
their barn. “They think it was arson.”
“Arson?” Jess sat up straight and stared at him.
“Yeah…they say that someone soaked the walls with accelerant,
then came back later and lit it.”
“Why would anyone do that?” She paused. “You mean they came
back and lit it while I was in there? They were trying to…?” Her voice
quivered.
“That’s not why. Most likely, they got scared off the first
time and then came back. It’s probably just teens doing it for kicks. You were
up in the loft. They must not have seen you.”
She glanced down at her hands. “I hope you’re right. I just
can’t imagine anyone doing something like that for fun. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Some people don’t make sense.”
Wade came over and knelt down in front of Jess. “Are you sure
that you don’t want to go to the hospital?”
“Yeah. Mrs. Robinson will drive me to my own doctor after
I’ve had a chance to calm down.”
“Do you want me to try and get off work to go with you?” Jim
asked.
“No. I’ll be fine. Just so whoever this was doesn’t come
back.”
“It was probably just some jerk….”
“I know.… That’s what Jim said.”
“Of course, on the other hand…” Jim lowered his voice and
shifted his eyes back and forth. “…it could be the ghost of some long lost
second or third cousin seeking vengeance.”
Jess rolled her eyes. “Right.”
“Vengeance for what?” Wade grinned.
“Only the shadow
knows.”
“Uh-huh.” Jess held
out her hand to Jim who stood in front of her. He pulled her up.
“I better go find Mrs. Robinson and the baby. I’m pretty sure
they went inside.” She reached to put her arms around her husband’s neck. Jim
bent down. Usually, she stood on her toes, but that wasn’t going to work with a
twisted ankle. Jim really wasn’t that tall. She was just that short.
“I’ll see ya tomorrow.” She finished the hug.
“Yeah, okay.” He kissed her and let her go. “Do you need help
getting to the house?”
“No, I’ll be fine.” She smiled and began hobbling toward the
house. As she went, she heard the alarm sound on the engine’s radio. Turning,
she watched everyone pile in and the trucks speed out of the drive.
Not seeing Jim for twenty-four hours at a time was what she
disliked most about his job, but it was what he really wanted to do, so she put
up with it. She limped up the porch and into the house.
Mrs. Robinson sat in a recliner, rocking the baby. “Did Jim
leave already?”
“Yeah. They had another call.” Jess coughed into her elbow.
She still felt a little shaky, but she was calming down. “Oh, give me my little
girl,” she said softly, bending down to gather her little one into her arms.
“Here you go.” Mrs. Robinson smiled as she handed her to her
Mama.
“And how’s my little Morgan?” Jess swung the baby over her
head, causing the little girl to wiggle and giggle. Sitting down, Jess put
Morgan down in her lap as another coughing fit struck.
Mrs. Robinson headed for the phone in the kitchen. “Do you
want me to make an appointment with your doctor?”
“I suppose. … Maybe she won’t have any openings today.”
“Jess-i-ca.” Mrs. Robinson put her hands on her hips
reprovingly.
“Well… Can I help it if I’m not crazy about doctors?”
“Jim must be rubbing off on you. I’ll call.”
Jess just stared a moment into the bright, lively blue eyes
of her beautiful girl, just so thankful that she could.
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