Interview & Giveaway! Sherri Wilson Johnson ~ Author of To Dance Once More!

 Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Sherri! Will you tell us about yourself?

Hi, folks! I am Sherri Wilson Johnson, author of To Dance Once More. I am from Georgia—never lived anywhere else. I have been married since 1988. I am a former homeschooling mom of my two children (now 21 and 17) and I have a twelve year old Labrador and a two year old Chihuahua who doesn’t know she’s a dog.

What is your novel, To Dance Once More, about?

To Dance Once More is the story of Lydia Jane Barrington, a Victorian debutante. Lydia lives on a plantation in Florida under the watchful eye of her father. She’s quite an independent young lady who does not want to fall into the trap (as she sees it) that her mother and sisters have fallen into—marriage and motherhood. She wants to travel the world and experience life before giving her heart to a man. One day, her eyes are opened to love and no matter what, she cannot forget the blissful feeling it causes. She begins to believe that love isn’t such a bad thing after all. Then she discovers a secret that prohibits any of her dreams from ever coming true. She begins a quest to free herself and her family from a future of bondage. Hearts are broken and lives are torn apart because of Lydia’s own selfishness. Will she surrender to a call that God placed on her life and be able to experience love after all? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

What is something the average reader wouldn't know about you?

My daddy was a preacher of a Southern Baptist church and I met my husband at that church when I was fourteen years old. We didn’t actually start dating until I was eighteen, but it was truly a match made in Heaven and is the basis for all of my romances.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I realized I wanted to be a writer when I was a little girl. I read books all the time and concocted stories in my head non-stop. When I was in high school I learned how to put stories together and it got into my blood. After reading a good number of distasteful romances, I knew that I needed to write something that people could read that would uplift their souls and not cause them to lust. It is my mission to bring people closer to God through my books.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

I have written three books. To Dance Once More is my first and probably will always hold a special place in my heart. Song of the Meadowlark (due out in May) is my second novel. I probably worked the hardest on this story to get it just right so there’s a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in it. After the Raging Storm is my third novel. I just finished it and am in the submission process now. I am currently writing To Laugh Once More, the sequel to To Dance Once More. I’ve got a legal mystery/suspense circulating in my head and a sequel to Song of the Meadowlark, also.

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?

I usually make a loose outline of my ideas for a new story. I do a general chapter-by-chapter plan, character analyses, and lots of research on my setting and time period before I begin writing. I write pretty much every waking hour—and sometimes in my sleep. Seriously! I am either researching, writing or editing all the time. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I either grab a pen and paper beside the bed or I email my main computer from my phone.

What would you say is the best and/or worst part about being a writer?

Waiting is the worst part. No, maybe rejection. Or both. I’m not a very patient waiter. The more impatient I am, the more God makes me wait, it seems. I hate waiting so much, I’d rather go ahead and get a rejection than to have to wait. But rejection stinks too. The thing about rejection is: you kind of get numb to it after a while. Waiting is something you never get used to.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love to spend time with my family watching movies and eating ice cream/drinking coffee. We have lots of fun around our house. Home is my favorite place to be. If I’m not doing something with my family, I’m usually networking with Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc. on my computer or new smartphone. I’m trying to stay hip, haha!

Is there a place you’d like to visit, but haven’t yet?

I have hardly been out of the South so anywhere would be fun to travel. My husband and I have lots of plans for the future. I dearly would love to go to Italy and also England.

Do you have a favorite song and/or movie?

I like so many types of music, I can’t even begin to name one favorite song. I love Pride and Prejudice and In Love and War (Sandra Bullock). I also love scary movies (suspense) but appropriate ones are hard to find. My family still laughs at me because I will rarely choose even a PG-13 to rent because I hate premarital sex scenes or even references to it.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I love to read a whole list of Christian authors in the romance, mystery, and suspense genres. I can’t even name a favorite. I love Gayle Roper, Gail Gaymer Martin, Catherine Palmer, Maggie Brendan, Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker…… I also enjoy reading Nicholas Sparks.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

John 14:1-3, hands down! “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” It gives me chills!

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, could you tell us a little about it?

I am writing To Laugh Once More, the sequel to To Dance Once More, which continues the journey of Lydia and her quest for adventure.  

Thank you so much for being here! Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

A theme running through all of my books is and will always be purity. I hope to show my readers that true love does exist and that waiting for marriage is worth it!

Where can we find you on the web?

www.sherriwilsonjohnson.com

Twitter: swj_thewriter
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_138295856220115#!/pages/Author-Sherri-Wilson-Johnson/138396456193536
http://sherrijinga.wordpress.com

Giveaway!

Enter to win To Dance Once More! 

Here is how this giveaway works. If you live in the US and win, you have the choice between a print or eBook copy of To Dance Once More, but if you live outside of the US and win, you will receive an eBook copy.

Open Internationally!

Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter below (here is a tutorial, if you aren't familiar with Rafflecopter). The mandatory entry is to leave a blog post comment on this blog post - after you do that, the other entries will become available.

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