Interview & Giveaway: Corin Hughs ~ Author of "Loving"

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

I married my high school sweetheart nearly 10 years ago and am blessed to be the mom of three young children. By day, I nurture skinned knees, read picture books, play restaurant and draw scary (unintentionally) versions of Disney princesses. As pillows hug little heads, and my home grows quiet, I nestle into my “spot” on the couch. With my laptop in place and coffee on the end table, I get lost in another world…and I write! Each tap on my keyboard is laced in prayer – prayer for the words I type, the stories they create and the people who read them. I pray my writing encourages and challenges my readers.

What is your novel, Loving, about?

Inspired by a true story, Loving takes readers on the journey of a young childless couple who seeks to adopt a prostitute’s unwanted baby. It is an emotional story that realistically addresses the raw, difficult pains of infertility, disease, prostitution, addiction, rejection and, of course, adoption. It’s a story about ordinary people – people just like you and me – living with extraordinary faith.

I wrote Loving to honor my friend, Hannah, who has pulmonary hypertension, similar to the character Hannah in the book. This book tackles the hard realities of life and faith in a way that, I hope, will both challenge and inspire.

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

Third grade! I had hoped the desire would “go away.” It never did! I graduated from University of Central Florida with a degree in English/Creative Writing and then became a grant writer. I’ve written inspiration greeting cards for a Christian publisher and Loving is my first published novel.

What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk? 

Sometimes I type prayers into my writing (they get deleted before anyone else reads them!). For me, writing is a way I worship God – while writing, I’m praying for wisdom in writing and for the people who read what I write. My writing is often the product of meditating on particular Scriptures, so I’m being drawn into a deeper trust in Christ through writing and I pray my readers would say the same.  

Where do you like to write? 

Anywhere! Currently, my most common writing spot is on the couch, left corner next to the end table. A coffee mug is always perched on the end table as nighttime fills the sky and my children sleep. Coffee, my imagination and God keep me awake.

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

Well, I don’t get nearly as much time to write as I like, so uninterrupted time to write is wonderful! As a grateful wife and mommy of three young children, my days are filled with wiping sticky fingers, kissing boo-boos, snuggling, reading stories, packing lunches and snacks, tackling laundry and searching for lost puzzle pieces. I also adore sipping coffee with girlfriends and dinner dates with my husband. If I can drag myself from bed early enough, I enjoy jogging on my treadmill.

What is your favorite genre to read and why?

Inspirational fiction or nonfiction. I seek to know God more with every day, in everything I do. I’m a stickler for living with purpose! I love that books can challenge and deepen my faith. It’s amazing the talented writers whose works we have available to read.

What is your least favorite genre to read?

Sci-fi.

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

This list is all over the place, literally, but here goes…Sarasota, Gatlinburg, Greece, Ireland and Haiti.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse? 

The one that I seem to meditate on daily is Philippians 4:8. I try to evaluate every decision by this verse – what I say, do, watch, listen to, read, write, etc.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Do you have a favorite song and/or movie? 

Any Matthew West song…his songs challenge me! My favorite movie is Father of the Bride.

What is your favorite holiday? 

Christmas! It was my mom’s favorite and she died of cancer in 2009. Every time I hear “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” I think of my mom and am filled with love and longing.

What is your favorite season and why is it your fav?

Summer! Sandy toes and crashing waves, salty air and coconut-scented sunblock. I love God’s playground!

Some this-or-that questions:

Snowstorms or Thunderstorms? Snowstorms

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Tea or Coffee?  Coffee

Call or Text?  Text

Cats or Dogs? Cats

Early-bird or Night-owl? Early-bird

Introvert or Extrovert? Introvert

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

Mystery or Romance? Romance

Sneakers or Sandals? Sandals

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

Loving is part of a three-book series. I’m working on the second novel in the series. This book delves into healing. It’s a new layer of our individual struggle to trust God. It also digs into the unique, difficult, volatile, yet precious mother-daughter relationship. My deepest hope is that it will inspire mothers and daughters to strengthen their bonds and restore relationships that desperately need healing and forgiveness.

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?

I loving hearing from readers! Please visit my website www.corinhughs.com and drop me an email. Also, “Like” my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/corinhughsauthor and we can “talk” in real-time. I’m honored you had me, Melanie! Thank you!

Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Christian Book.

Enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of Loving by Corin Hughs! Giveaway is open to US residents. Ends 4/17

How to enter: Sign into the Giveaway Tools form below (it might take a moment to load) and submit each entry you complete. The mandatory entry is to leave a comment on this blog post, so please make sure to use the same name on both the form and your comment. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

Entry-Form

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