Did you get a chance to read Somebody Like You, the book I posted about in June?  Well, don’t miss this interview with the author Beth K. Vogt!

This is the first time I’ve featured an author interview.   When I had the chance to ask Beth some questions, I jumped at it.  I really admire her take on Christian fiction.  After reading her responses to my questions, I realized how down-to-earth Beth is.  I hope you enjoy this post!  My questions are in green and Beth’s responses are in italics.

1.  Choose a theme song for the book. 
I made an entire playlist for the novel using Spotify – and yes, it included “Somebody Like You” by Keith Urban. But I would choose “One Day You Will” by Lady Antebellum as the theme song for Somebody Like You. The novel asks, “Can a young widow find love with her husband’s reflection?” This song talks about heartache while offering hope for peace and love in the future.

2.  What was your biggest challenge in writing Somebody Like You? One of the themes in Somebody Like You is estrangement – identical twin brothers Stephen and Sam Ames are estranged from one another for a dozen years. This was a carefully thought out plot point. What I didn’t expect is to be facing a season of estrangement with my own extended family. I was writing fiction – and trusting God for the very same thing in my own life.

3.  I love to watch the deleted scenes in movies. What are some deleted scenes from Somebody Like You? I can’t think of any deleted scenes per se, but I do have a “blooper reel” – the first, second, sometimes third tries of a scene that fell flat or failed completely. I’d cut them out of the manuscript and file them away. It’s less painful to file things then to trash them. The scene at the end of the book where Stephen comes back for Haley changed quite a bit, as did Haley’s confrontation with the head of the homeowner’s association. Originally, Stephen was in that scene but I decided to let Haley handle that confrontation on her own.

4.  Catch A Falling Star was really a delight.  Your characters seem so real, like people I would know from work or church.   How do you manage to guide them to a normal ending without making it seem too fairytale-ish?  Thank you for those delightful words about Somebody Like You. I write a long synopsis for all my novels – usually five pages or more outlining the story. And before that, I’ve developed my characters so that I understand who they are and why they do the things they do. Even so, I usually write my ending at least three times. I want it to be believable. Yes, I know romances require a happily ever after – but I don’t want it to be hokey or syrupy sweet.

5.  What are your favorite blogs to read?

This is a great question!

• The Write Conversation – great social media information
• Melissa Tagg – Melissa is a wonderful friend and her blog is great fun!
• My Book Therapy – such good information for writers
• Inspy Romance – this is a fun blog for readers of inspirational contemporary romance
• Drawing from Experience – Dave Hamlin combines his amazing artistic talents with thought-provoking truths that speak to people’s hearts

Savings in Seconds says a big THANK YOU to Beth for sharing her thoughts with us today.  Readers, be sure to check out her novels!