Interview & Giveaway: Caitlyn Santi ~ Author of Surrender Falls!

Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Caitlyn!! Will you tell us a little about yourself? 

I am a twenty one year old homeschool graduate, I am an avid reader.  I live in the amazing state of Vermont. I am a daughter, sister, horsewoman and follower of Christ. I grew up (And still live!) on a farm, where my imagination is allowed to run wild, many of my stories have popped into my head while leisurely wandering the woods and fields!  I love to write the stories God has given me to tell! I tend to write my stories with a minimal amount of description and detail, because I personally feel that it gives the reader the freedom to make the story their own! :)
 
What is Surrender Falls about? 

Well here is the blurb: Once in a Millennium. Two will be created by God to cause the disintegration of evil. When evil has the upper hand and their world is darkest they must both surrender with every fiber of their being and God will turn the darkness to light. From the moment Amelia Miller and Aaron Crawford meet through unusual circumstances, they find themselves falling for each other. Soon they are happily courting, however there is a group of people called the soldiers of Satan who want to kill Aaron and Amelia simply because they are Christians, can they balance a courtship with fighting for their lives and for God's truth against the emissaries of Satan? And when it comes down to it will Aaron and Amelia figure out how to triumph over the bad guys, and become the people God created them to be? This inspirational novella is filled with page turning suspense, action and romance. Jump into the adventure and journey to Surrender Falls!


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

Hmm, well I am left handed! And I am fascinated by accents, in fact occasionally I will randomly start speaking with one. Irish and Australian are my favorites but every so often I will find myself speaking with a British or Southern accent as well!

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

I think I've always known in my heart that I wanted to be a writer, but when I first met Jo March in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to write!    

How many books have you written/published and do you have a favorite?

Besides Surrender Falls, I have also published a short story titled True Equitation. I love them both equally but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be Surrender Falls, simply because through the writing of it God really expanded my creativity as a writer, and also because by God's grace I wrote the entire 19,000 word first draft in five days! That is the most I have ever written, in the least amount of time, before!        

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

Well, I don't really know if you could actually call this a quirk. But even though I love to create playlists for my stories and I will sometimes hear songs in my head while I'm writing, I can't listen to music while I'm writing. I need full concentration, and if I listen to music I end up singing along rather than writing! :) Also, and this one probably is a quirk. My characters 'tell' me what point of view they want their perspective written from. 1st or 3rd. For example, my heroine in Surrender Falls made it very clear that the story was to be told from her perspective and that it was to be written in 1st person, yes, my characters can be quite demanding at times! LOL :)  

Where do you like to write? 

On my front porch, in my Adirondack chair, watching my horses graze peacefully in their pasture!

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

I love to read, play with my horses, listen to music, watch movies, get closer to God, and spend time with my awesome family!

What is your favorite genre to read and why? 

My favorite would have to be Christian Suspense/Romantic Suspense. I love the rush of adrenaline I get from these types of books. It's so cool how my brain ends up working overtime to figure out the mystery, and I love it when my hunch is actually correct. But most importantly I love that the terrifying hurdles that the characters face actually serve to draw them into a deeper relationship with the Lord, I actually come away from most of these books with a deeper relationship with God, myself!    

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

Prince Edward Island! :)

Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

Lots, but my two most favorite are "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

Do you have a favorite song and/or movie?

I can't pick just one favorite song, so how 'bout a top five? "Beloved" by Tenth Avenue North, "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller, "Faithfully" by Eric and Leslie Ludy, "Already There" by Casting Crowns, "The Struggle" by Tenth Avenue North and so many others! My favorite movie is "Tuck Everlasting"

What is your favorite holiday? 

Christmas! :)

A few this-or-that questions:

Snowstorms or Thunderstorms? Thunderstorms ;)
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate, all the way!
Tea or Coffee? Tea, I love the smell of coffee but don't like the taste!
Call or Text? Neither, I'm an Email fan!
Early-bird or Night-owl? Sorta both, just depends on the day. And my mood!
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

Are you currently working on any new novels? If so, could you give us a hint?

Yes! I am currently working on a story about a teenage girl and her older brother, who are FBI agents. I have had an idea for a while now to write a story about a teenage girl who helps to catch criminals that only target teens! Basically, you get an introduction to what, my main character Kennedy does to stop crime. And then someone starts sending her death threats! I have been having a blast writing it, I am hoping to publish it later this year! :) I think it will end up being either Novellette or Novella length!

Thank you so much for being here! Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we find you on the web? 

Thank you so much for having me, Melanie! I love connecting with readers!
Readers can find me on my blog: http://www.justyouraveragereviews.blogspot.com/

 And on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6425012.Caitlyn_Santi
You can also email me at: caitlynsantiauthor@gmail.com

Giveaway!

Caitlyn is giving away three Kindle copies of Surrender Falls! US and Canada only. Ends 8/22

To enter, be sure to sign into the Rafflecopter form and click “enter” on each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

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