Throughout this often painstakingly slow journey toward publication, there are several authors who’ve inspired me at different phases in my journey. Some of them know this already; there are others who’ve no idea that I’m about to shower them with compliments in a minute.
First, I want to make clear, in the last five years since I’ve been reading Christian Fiction, I’ve discovered countless amazing and extremely talented authors in multiple genres. Every time I pick up a book by a new author, I’m excited to discover a new style, a new perspective. It’s been an adventure!
These top 5 however, have impacted me personally, and have even inspired these giveaways I’ve been doing over the summer.
My first introduction to Christian Fiction was through Lynn Austin’s Until We Reach Home. One of my top favorite books I’ve read in recent years. While Lynn Austin has been writing books for decades, I only just discovered Christian Fiction, and how inspiring and fun, and exciting faith-based stories could be. I love biblical fictions and historical fiction, and of course, romance – all aspects of which she has combined with great skill. In many of her stories, many of the main characters embark on very emotional journeys and that really inspired me as I began to write again.
When was first gifted a Kindle, I began to explore Christian fiction. From the Kindle store, to my local library’s online collections, I selected and devoured so many different Christian Fiction books including multiple tittles by Lynn Austin – and then I found The Jewel Series.
As I read through the series, it rekindled my passion to write. I’ve always been a writer, since I was a child. I wrote stories based around Little Women, The Fugitive (yes really, the movie with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones) but I had this one story on my computer that I didn’t know what to do with. I knew I wanted it to be a romance, but I didn’t want to write regular romance – too risque – and I didn’t want to write Christian romance – too boring and preachy and lame.
But after reading The Jewel Series, I discovered that… no Christian Romance is NOT boring, and can be suspenseful and heartwarming and well-written!
While reading this series, I thought – I can do this. I can write like this!
Somehow, I can’t even remember how, I stumbled upon this YA spec fic / historical fantasy author even though I don’t write in either one of those genres. But I LOVE me some dystopian, that’s absolutely fact. Her first series, The Out of Time series hooked me. I had such a blast joining her street team and chatting with her here and there on Messenger before she became HUGE like really, she’s so popular and busy now LOL. But this author, is the kind of author I want to be in personality. No… I don’t want to copy her personality, I have my own. But she’s so open about her quirkiness, about her writing, about her life, and it’s fascinating. I want to be an author who is easy to talk with, who readers enjoy connecting with because I love to connect with people. Her marketing ideas are pure genius, and I’ve learned so much just by interacting with her.
The first time I picked up Undeniably Yours, I was hooked. So different than Bridgeman, yet so deliciously fresh, so honest, such in-depth POV. The beauty and tension in her stories, the perfect, flawless prose. I don’t even know how to explain why this is all so inspiring to me. It’s impacted how I write in that it’s helped me to improve upon, to refine my own sentences, paragraphs, story structures, my characters, how I approach POV.
Conrad’s new book, Justice, is the first book in almost 10 years, that I’ve read twice already. It’s that amazing. When I found her through some Facebook writing group, and joined a launch team and read Justice, I was hooked. I know she’s not the only author to ever broach difficult, sticky topics in Christian Fiction, but she is one of the first that I’ve discovered, and since then I’ve discovered others as well.
In reading her debut, it encouraged me to keep working toward this elusive goal called Publication. As you can tell, I love to study other authors’ works, and what I loved about her book, were her realistic characters and realistic dialogue. Every time I read them, I just want to hug them and hold them and hide them in my heart.
Some other super amazing fabulous authors you should totally check out.
Connilynn Cossettee – the new Lynn Austin, except she specializes in Biblical fiction. Just fabulous, very talented writer
Nicole Deese – multiple award winning author, her contemporary writing style is fresh, fun. Her keen ability to portray characters and dialogue and life in such a realistic way is why I love her stories so much
Kara Isaac – inspirational romantic comedy author who does a great job of highlighting the humor in life and romantic experiences.
Oh yeah, I promised giveaway information!
To celebrate all of these amazing inspirational authors, I will be giving away a paperback copy of Her One and Only to ONE new subscriber who subscribes within the months of July and August! I will draw a winner at the end of August!
To all those people who are already subscribers, THANK YOU! I will be doing a giveaway for everyone later on in September/October!
What author or books have inspired or impacted you?