Reality Reflected: Birthday Bash: Interview with Faith Blum

It’s a birthday party! November 19th was the third birthday of Faith Blums debut novel, A Mighty Fortress. To celebrate, she has all sorts of fun going on. First, she’s released a newly revised version of A Mighty Fortress. Second, she has most of her published books on sale. Third, she’s releasing the box set of all five of her novels for a special discounted price. And fourth, but not least, she now has the audiobook of A Mighty Fortress! I’m not sure exactly when it will be available, but if you sign up for her New Releases newsletter, you will get an email with the announcement.

“Stay back!” Joshua ordered. He kept his eyes on the scene below while waving his arm in Ruth's direction. “Get deeper into the woods and stay down low to the ground.”Joshua hazarded a glance behind him. He could no longer see Ruth and breathed a sigh of relief. In one swift move, he grabbed his rifle and lay flat to the ground. Extending the rifle, he aimed at the shorter man whose gun was pointed at Bradshaw.

Joshua and Ruth Brookings are traveling by stagecoach to finally join their parents in Montana. Attacked by murderous outlaws, the teens barely escape with their lives and must survive in the barren Wyoming and Montana territories and escape the man who's hunting them.

Seven years ago, Jed Stuart ran away from home and joined Tom's gang. Jed is tired of the lawlessness and wants out. The only problem? He is the boss's right-hand man and will never be able to leave. And what's one more stagecoach robbery, anyway?

Can Joshua lean on God's strength to keep himself and his sister alive until they find a town? Will Jed be able to face his anger or will it consume him completely? All three are running--the hunter and hunted. What will happen when they meet?

About the Author

Faith Blum started writing at an early age. She started even before she could read! She even thought she could write better than Dr. Seuss. (The picture doesn’t show it well, but there are scribblings on the page of Green Eggs and Ham). Now that she has grown up a little more, she knows she will probably never reach the success of Dr. Seuss, but that doesn’t stop her from trying.
When she isn’t writing, Faith enjoys doing many right-brained activities such as reading, crafting, playing piano, and playing games with her family. One of her dreams is to visit Castle City, Montana, someday to see the ghost town she chose for her characters to live in. She currently lives on a hobby farm with her family in Wisconsin.

Faith can be found on parts of the internet. The best place to go is her website: http://FaithBlum.com There you can find links to her various social media sites and both of her blogs.

Interview

Hello Faith and welcome to my blog. As is customary, I'll dive straight into the question without any further introductions.
What made you decide to become a writer? And what drew you to writing westerns?

I loved writing, so it was an easy decision once I heard about self-publishing. Ever since finding Dad’s stash of Louis L’Amour books, I’ve been in love with Westerns. Before that, my favorite time period was the Civil War, so the jump to the Old West wasn’t hard. I also liked to read Janette Oke books, but hers were a bit too mushy and Louis L’Amour’s were too gritty, so I tried to even them out a little.

I can see that in them. Westerns aren't really my things, but I've always had the impression that Janette Oke's books were on the mushy side.
Is there any particular author or book that influenced you growing up?

The Bible was the biggest influence in my life growing up. Without the Bible and the teaching in it, I would not be the person I am today.

Great answer. That's the best book for certain.
Do you work with an outline, or just write?

That depends on the story. I usually have a little bit of an outline or at least an idea of where I want the story to go, but I don’t always have everything figured out before I write. My last project, a novella I wrote as part of my NaNoWriMo project, I did actually have the most full outline I’ve ever had. And I loved it! I’ll probably be doing it for my next book.

In between is about where I'm at. Sometimes I wish I had things more planned out, but it never happens.
What is your favorite part of the publishing / writing process?

I love writing the rough draft of the story. Well, with the novella I just finished, I think my favorite part was actually doing the character backstories, interviews, and then the outline.

Mmm, the stage where everything looks perfect in your head. Then you get to writing it down the execution doesn't always do your wonderful story justice.
Of all your books, which was the most fun to write?

Probably The Solid Rock (Hymns of the West #5). I wrote the whole novel in 32 days by hand. It was intense, but fun.

That is intense. Extremely rewarding too, I would think.
What fictional character is most like you?

Probably Ruth Brookings from my own books. She’s very similar in a lot of ways, but not all.

What is something big you want to accomplish in your life?

I want to get married, have kids, maybe adopt and/or foster some kids, and homeschool my children. I think those are pretty big things to accomplish. Now I just have to wait for Prince Charming to come around. :)
That sounds rather like me. And good on you for saying it straight out. Us young ladies often have a tendency to hedge around that question.
It was great to have you here, Faith.

Giveaway

Faith is offering three prizes!

Grand Prize:

· Audiobook of A Mighty Fortress (MP3 download)—Could be a short delay

· The Solid Rock Notebook

1^st Prize:

· Feather Quill Necklace

2^nd Prize:

· eBook set of Hymns of the West: The Complete Series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9912248015

Hymns of the West, the Complete Series

Faith also just released her first box set, the complete Hymns of the West series. It’s available for a special discounted pre-order price until November 26^th and will stay at that price until November 30^th.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQJ5V2F

About the Series

Two Families…

The Brookings family move from Illinois to Montana to start a horse ranch. Their journey to Montana has hazards of its own, as does their life in Castle City, affecting each of them in various ways.

The Stuarts have been living a secluded life in Tennessee since the matriarch of the family died. When Jed runs away, they seclude themselves even more until a letter arrives that changes their lives—one at a time—forever.

Two Worldviews…

One family has believes in God with their whole hearts, living out their lives to the glory of God. The other family believes in God in a general sense, but they have no commitment toward Him or His ways.

One Providential God.

A stagecoach robbery instigates their meeting. Two years later, they meet again. Another year and their lives cross paths again. What happens when God's providence brings two families with two different worldviews together in ways only He could have planned?

Mega-Sale

Every eBook in the Hymns of the West series is on sale. A Mighty Fortress is permafree, and the other eBooks in the series are $0.99. In addition, the spin-off novella series has a book on sale as well.

And they're good books. I haven't read the latest ones, but I've enjoyed what I have read. Not my favourite books, but I'm not into westerns very much.

Links:

Hymns of the West: The Complete Series

Life and Salvation: Hymns of the West Novellas 1-3

Faith also has the paperbacks on sale if you buy them from Createspace with the discount codes.

A Mighty Fortress

$2.00 off (8.99) with code: MBJB3XSY

Be Thou My Vision