Interview with Becky Jane Dice, author of Chenoa's Spiritual Journey - CFRB

Originally Posted at Bibliophile's Retreat by Melissa Meeks

Readers please join me in welcoming Becky Jane Dice and her book Chenoa's Spiritual Journey here at Bibliophile's Retreat. Today she's sharing with us about herself and the book through an interview. Also be sure to check out other CFRB blogs using the blogroll in my sidebar as well as the daily posts at the main CFRB blogsite (click on the banner in this post to go there). Don't forget to visit Becky at her website (click her picture) and you can purchase the book via her website or from Wordclay (click the bookcover for the Wordclay page).

Now on with the Interview...

1) Who do you want to meet and why?
Hugh Laurie, the main guy from House MD. I never really go for the bad guy image but I think he has a lot to offer medicine.

2) What’s your favorite comfort food?
brownies

3) What would be your dream vacation?
Somewhere along the Pacific Ocean

4) Is there anyone who has influenced / encouraged you to write other than God who ultimately gives us any talents including creativity? Who and how / why?
Marlene Bagnul. She's the director of the Philly Christian Writer's Conference. She has a book out entitled Write His Answer. It's basically a Bible study for writers. When I read that book I thought how did she know I am going through some of those things. I found the book encouraging and at least I know other writers have the same experience.

5) Can you give a brief synopsis of your journey to publication with your first book?
The book is currently with the fourth publisher. The first publisher took a don't care what it looks like attitude. I was able to get my rights back. The second wasn't any better. The third one closed it's doors last December. I had to search around for a publisher that was free and Wordclay.com landed in my lap

6) What else have you written / are you currently writing (including unpublished works)?
I've published the 2nd and 3rd book in the series. And have also published 6 books of poetry. I am working on book #4 of the series. When I was trying to decide what to do with the 4th book I wrote a novel titled Dakotah. It's about the boy Chenoa fell in love with. It's his verison of Chenoa's first book and starts at the point where he meets her. I still have to finish typing it.

7) What first gave you the idea for the series about Chenoa and Dakota?
Actually I was writing my adult novel and a writing instructor suggested I write it as a young adult novel. I really didn't want to do it that way. I never considered writing for young adults. However, I picked up a pen and started scratching, and not knowing what I was doing I went from no idea to an 8-book series. I am not really into writing romance but it kind of ended up that way. I basically had a spiritual message to write about and it just developed. I actually had an 80 year-old woman tell me she was in love with Dakotah.

8) What else would you like to share with readers about yourself or Chenoa’s Spiritual Journey?
We are all on a spiritual journey. If you don't trust God you can't have a meaningful relationship with Him. If you have to ask him for help because you can't solve your own problems. When you do you just make them worse.

9) Share with us one of the craziest things you've done or that's happened to you?
I had a notebook full of poetry I wrote as a teen ager. When I got married I threw the notebook away. Yeah! I know that was a dumb thing to do. Although some of the poems were off the wall at times...sometimes funny...sometimes sad...I wish I still had them.

10) What five books would you take with you to a desert island?
Bible, The Book of God [the Bible as a novel by W. Wangerin, Jr.], Jesus [by W. Wangerin], Three From Galilee [M Holmes], Pascal's Wager [by Nancy Rue. I met her several times when I went to the Philly Christian Writer's Conference. I was in her continuing session in 2003. Although she is a terrifc young adult writer, Pascal's Wager is for adults]

11) What concept or scripture is God revealing more deeply to you in this season of your life? And how is that revelation influencing your life?
trusting Him.

12) Why did you start writing and when?
I started writing when I was 16. It was mostly poetry. I had stars in my eyes, I thought I was in love and the man [it was a one-sided thing] was object of my poetry.

13) How do you choose names and get to know your characters?
Years ago I used to get my names out of the TV...that's when they listed names. I would pick names at random and see if they fit. A friend told me that Chenoa was an Indian name. I liked it. I went to the library and got a book of baby names and it was in there. It means hope and peace. That definition really fit my character.

14) What’s your favorite character / scene from this series so far?
Chenoa of course. It was pointed out to me recently that Chenoa's fluctuating faith is much like mine. I guess I put more of myself into my character than I realized. I identify with what Chenoa is going through. But I learn as I write. We're all human, we have our faults and make mistakes.

15) Do you have any teasers you can share for the second book in this series?
Chenoa has to deal with her legal guardian's oldest son Samuel Ream. He's an attorney and would like to stop his parents from filing for legal guardianship. It gets a bit sticky for Chenoa she has to learn to stand her ground or flee.

16) Are there any closing remarks you’d like to share?
We are all to remain positive through all our trials. Remaining positive is a way of thinking. If you make mistakes, you learn from them. You're able to go on and make improvements in your life. Even if you have situations that aren't easy to go through, you try to work through them. You learn what works and what doesn't. You learn by your mistakes.

Thank you for taking the time to share with my readers.