Hello, everyone! Welcome to today’s post. In this week’s special feature, I had the pleasure of interviewing author April Barcalow! While I haven’t read her book yet, I admit I’m intrigued by Elly’s story after reading the blurb, and it’s definitely on my TBR now! I’m so excited to be introducing you all to her in today’s interview.
Let’s take moment to check out her book first, then we’ll dive into the interview.
When a letter mistakenly makes its way to Elly’s door, an unlikely friendship grows between herself and a young stranger, Pieter. Pieter has recently lost his mother and Elly has always wished for a son–perhaps it was God’s will that they found one another. But over months of correspondence, Elly begins to suspect the truth about who Pieter is. She must find the courage to go on being a shining candle to the very man who holds the power to extinguish her light.
Pieter is at odds with himself, his family, and his nation. He is convinced that the only way to a strong and healthy Netherlands is through radical means. But Elly’s gentle guidance shows him a different way. When he finds himself at a crossroads, he must will he save Elly, or hold fast to his ideals?
Expected Release Day:
October 17, 2023
Genre(s):
Historical Fiction
WWII Novella
| Goodreads || Lulu || Amazon |
Hello April, welcome to Books Less Travelled! I’m excited to have you join us here today.
Before we get started, would you care to tell us a little about yourself?
I’m thrilled to get the chance to get to know you better and chat about writing and life! I’m a Canadian ex-pat now living in the Midwest. My husband and I have been married for twenty years this year (boy, did that go fast!) and we’re busy raising three teenagers. We recently bought an amazing historic brick farmhouse. It was the product of ten years’ worth of prayers, and I love that God somehow found us the land and space we were asking for, but kept us in the very middle of the city.
It’s amazing when He answers prayers so creatively and perfectly. We’re having the time of our lives uncovering the history of this place, fixing it up (there will ALWAYS be a project–I’m so excited!), and watching and praying about the next layer of plans He has for us and this place. When I’m not reading, writing, or knee-deep in projects, I love to read, garden, do crafts, and eat chocolate and black licorice. I’m a history nut, so if there’s even a whiff of anything historical, I’m in! Antique shops and thrift stores are some of my favorite places for that reason (and, hey, I’m a girl who loves a bargain).
Wow, that does sound like an adventure! God is so good to us, and I love it when He reminds us that He hears our prayers and that He cares, even about the things we consider the ‘little things’. I enjoy many of those things too! And hey, who don’t love a good bargain? I know I do! XD
1. Where did the inspiration for your stories come from?
I’m like a lot of writers in that I can’t always pinpoint where the inspiration for my stories comes from. Sometimes it’s a single line in a song or a phrase that gets my mind spinning off in all directions. Other times, it’s discovering an artifact in a museum, learning some little-known historical fact, or something along those lines. My stories are grounded in real-life experience, though. Regardless of where the initial idea comes from, most of my inspiration comes from my own life and the lives of the people I know. I love writing stories that put readers’ everyday experiences into words, so I take most of my inspiration from real life.
Oooh, I love that! “Stories that put readers’ everyday experiences into words” sounds like a fun catchphrase! Makes me think of how many of my favorite stories often deal with real-life struggles and issues in creative but relatable and realistic ways. That also leads to my next question,
2. What are your favorite kinds of stories to write?
I love, love, love writing stories with married couples. I get so excited when I pick up a book and discover married main characters, because it feels so rare. And yet, I think there’s so much we can learn from living in a marriage through all the different seasons of life (which is why I think God used the imagery of a wedding to describe His relationship with us, but that’s another soap box for another time). To date, every one of my main characters has been a married couple, although all in different seasons of life. Sometimes the marriage is the main theme, other times it’s there as a backdrop for everything else that happens. But marriage is my favorite thing to write, by far!
I hadn’t thought of it quite like that, but I love that perspective. I know we often hear about how Christ’s love for the Church is like a groom loving His Bride. To care for her, protect her, love and cherish her. And in return we love, respect, and obey Him, trusting in His love for us. But never have I really thought of the more rocky and difficult season also being a clear and understandable image of our walk with God, how in the good times, and the bad. Reminds me of the 23rd Psalm, how He leads us and cares for us, even when life gets difficult He never leave us. I also love your heart for marriage and hearing a little about why you enjoy stories that include marriage. It’s not something I hear many talk about or a theme I see super often is series, not with an intentional outlook like you shared at least. That’s such a beautiful perspective to have!
That reminds me of my next question.
3. What can you tell us about your WIP or an upcoming book?
Although so far I only have my novella, The Letter, published, I have several full-length manuscripts I’m hoping to get out into the world. I’m currently querying a manuscript that’s especially close to my heart, that tells the story of a wife caught up in dependence on laudanum and her physician husband who unknowingly fuels her addiction. I am passionate about people in the “margins” of life, like those walking the road of recovery, and this story is one I’ve always wanted to tell. Without giving too much away, it’s one of the clearest pictures of God’s love I think I’ve ever written, and I hope and pray I get the chance to share it with readers soon!
I’m praying the querying phase goes well for you. I know it can be stressful for some, but we serve a Good God, and His plans are perfect. May He lead you to the right choice when it comes to publishing and help you with your publishing journey. It sounds like a wonderful story, and I know you’ve caught my interest!
4. What’s your favorite part about being an author? What’s something that you found surprisingly challenging?
I love the process of creating through writing. I often think of that line from the movie, Chariots of Fire, “When I run, I feel His pleasure.” That’s how I feel about writing, and the act of creating with God is like an act of worship. It’s hard to describe.
Surprisingly, one of the most challenging things about writing is TALKING about my writing. My mind tends to go blank when people ask me to tell them about my stories, and I dread that moment–even though I want so much for people to be able to read my stories!
“Creating with God is like an act of worship.” I got excited reading that, just knowing that the Holy Spirit does exactly that in our lives. It’s such a beautiful relationship and to surrender to Him and watch Him work in us and through us…There really is nothing better.
5. If you could travel anywhere for research and inspiration for a new story idea, where would you choose to go, and why? What kind of story would you like to write based on your experiences there?
I’m currently writing a story set in Spain in the 1930s. I actually grew up in Spain, so it’s easy to draw from childhood memories as I’m writing, but part of me would love to go back. Or, if it were possible, I’d love to go back in time to some of the places I’ve written about and see what they were like in the past (although maybe not to 1930s Spain specifically, since they were in the midst of a civil war at the time).
Haha, yeah. I wouldn’t want to find myself randomly in the middle of an civil war like that either. It would be cool to get to see the places we read about in stories and historical articles from the perspective of someone living there during the the though!
6. What are your top five favorite tropes?
It’s no surprise that marriage of convenience tops the list. After that, probably second chance, found family, forced proximity, and maybe friends to lovers. I know it’s an unpopular opinion, but I’m not a fan of grumpy and sunshine. I know that tends to be everyone’s favorite!
Lol, I used to love love grumpy/sunshine more (in part because I tend to be grumpy, but also kind of like the ‘broody’ heroes at times.) but can see why someone might not love the trope. I also don’t love it as much as I once did. There are so many amazing tropes and combinations though, even though some of the best stories aren’t really ‘trope’ focused at all, they all come naturally if they are included, as it should be. 😊
7. Tell us about your writing process and the way you brainstorm story ideas.
I usually have to let my ideas simmer for quite a while in the background before I write them. I’m an outward processor, so it also helps me to be able to bounce ideas around with someone, especially my husband. I try to write every day during the week, although I often only get 30-45 minutes between when my family leaves for the day and when I leave for work. I start my writing sessions with a worship song, and I choose a different song for each manuscript I write. Not only is it helpful to open my time with praise and to lay the writing process in God’s hands, but listening to the same song each time helps my brain shift gears and get back into the story so that I’m ready to write despite having such a short timeframe. As a bonus, when I hear those songs outside of my writing time, they feel like a sweet moment I’ve shared with God, a place only He and I know!
That’s a neat idea! I hadn’t really thought about having a certain song for different stories, but I can see how it would be helpful!
8. Do you consider yourself an indie author? Why, or why not?
At the moment, I am an indie author in that my novella was self published for newsletter subscribers. I have the utmost respect and love for my indie writer friends, and I’ve loved many of their stories. For me, though, I’ve always felt God leading in a different direction, so I continue to pursue traditional publication.
There are pros and cons to both, for sure. May He lead you to the right publisher for your stories. I also love that there are more options for authors to pursue in publishing now, although that might be a con for some too. Too many choices can potentially make the process even more daunting for some people, but it also means that for nearly every story their is a publisher who fits well with the story and the author’s desires and needs to get their story into reader’s hands.
9. Which of your stories was the easiest to write? Why do you think that was?
My recovery story was probably the easiest to write in that it came together quickly and smoothly. It had been on my heart for years, so when it came time to write, I think the story was already there. Interestingly, although I’d wanted to write it for years, it wasn’t until I was bouncing ideas off my husband and landed on the idea of the MMC being a physician that the whole story came together. I’ve never had a plot come to me so completely or so clearly, and it made it such a pleasure to write.
Wow, I love that! I also love the teamwork between you and your husband here. God always knows what’s best, and what (and who) we need, and it’s beautiful when He teaches us to truly work as a team like this!
I also really like how you put it. I think often we have things in the back of our minds, a story, a hope, a dream, or what-have-you, and then when it’s finally the right time, God brings it all together so perfectly that we know it just had to be from Him. Much like you mentioned about your house too, He is so good to us, and always looking out for us. His gifts are truly perfect, to the point that when you receive one, there’s no doubt He intended it for you all along. Taking even our personalities and experiences into account to deliver the perfect gifts and fueling our inspiration and desire to create and live all the more for Him in return.
Okay, last question.
10. What’s a piece of advice and encouragement you’d share for new and aspiring authors?
Hands down, I would say to build your community. Not just of readers and friends/family who are supportive, although that’s incredibly important. But also build your community of fellow writers. Both within Christian circles and in secular writing circles, I’ve found writers to be some of the most encouraging, supportive, amazing people I’ve encountered. Although in essence we’re all competing for readers’ attention, I think we’ve also realized that we all benefit from lifting one another up. Championing fellow writers is one of my favorite things. A win for them feels like a win for me, and I celebrate right alongside them even as my words await their turn in the world. Not only that, but there is so much you can learn from other writers–including lessons they’ve learned the hard way–and most are more than willing to share their knowledge. You can only become better as a writer and as a person by building your community of fellow writers.
Powerful words, and very true. I think this is true in so many areas of our lives. Like the Bible says: “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:12). We can learn so much from each other, and the Bible talks about this in a lot of other places too. While we should be aware of the company we keep, there is also something precious and priceless about having a good community supporting and encouraging us along the way.
What a fun interview! April, I wanted to thank you again for joining us today! I hope you enjoyed your time, I know I did! It was such a privilege getting to know you and hear a little about your books!
For those of you interested to know more, and who want to read her novella The Letter, you can follow her on social media or sign-up for her newsletter to received news and updates. Subscribers also receive her novella as a thank you for signing up, or if you prefer you can buy a copy from Lulu or Amazon.
April writes from the Midwest, sharing married stories about grace and joy in the midst of suffering. She is passionate about stories that reveal God in the sacred ordinary moments of life, which is where He’s often shown Himself most in her life. When she’s not writing, she can be found working as a nurse, reading, gardening, doing crafts, and soaking up the moments with her husband and three teenagers.
Ways to Connect –
| Goodreads | IG | Facebook |
| Newsletter | Website |
Where to Buy –
| Lulu | Amazon |
Discover more from Books Less Travelled
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
1 Pingback