5-Year Blogoversary Celebration! Day 5 | Interview with Liz Johnson & Giveaway!

Welcome to Christian Bookshelf Reviews, Liz! Will you share a little about yourself and your latest book?

Thanks for having me! I love stories with heart, humor, and happily ever afters. By day I’m a marketing manager for a nonfiction team at a Christian publisher in Nashville. I find time to write late at night and always have stories to tell.

My newest book, The Red Door Inn, tells the story of Marie Carrington, who is broke, desperate, and hoping to find sanctuary on Prince Edward Island while decorating a renovated bed-and-breakfast. Seth Sloane moved three thousand miles to help restore his uncle's Victorian B and B—and to forget about the fiancée who broke his heart. He wasn't expecting to have to babysit a woman with a taste for expensive antiques and a bewildering habit of jumping every time he brushes past her.

The only thing Marie and Seth agree on is that getting the Red Door Inn ready to open in just two months will take everything they've got--and they have to find a way to work together. In the process, they may find something infinitely sweeter than they ever imagined on this island of dreams.

Have you visited Prince Edward Island, the setting for your new series?

Yes! I’ve been to PEI four times. It’s my favorite place in the world. Many years ago, I told my mom that I would take her to PEI when I sold my first book. She got me hooked on Anne of Green Gables when I was young, so I thought it would be a fitting way to celebrate my first book contract. But no one told me that I wouldn’t make much money on my first book, so we had to wait for my second contract. We went the first time for five days in September of 2010. And immediately started planning our next trip. My sister joined us for the second and third trip, and on our last trip, my oldest niece joined us.

I fell in love with PEI the first time I set foot on the island, and I hope that I shared a little bit of that in the Prince Edward Island Dreams series.

What do you hope readers come away with after reading your newest story?

I hope that readers will be reminded that God is present in our lives, especially during the hard times. He is our good Father, who loves us more than we can imagine.

Do you find it more fun to write stand-alones or series?

I love writing both stand-alone books and series. Single titles are fun because they often stretch me out of my comfort zone. I generally build a series around secondary characters. I love getting to tell each of their stories and catching up with characters from previous books. In my new series all the characters meet through the Red Door Inn, and I love reconnecting with them in each book.

Who are some of your favorite authors whose books have never disappointed you?

I have a number of favorites, including Julie Klassen, Karen Witemeyer, and Meg Cabot. I always look forward to their new books and have reread their backlist titles many times.

What's the last thing you celebrated, not including birthdays or holidays?

This last year has been filled with numerous writing deadlines, and I try to celebrate every milestone—even the little ones. When I met my last deadline in November, I celebrated by taking a day off of work and inviting some friends over for pizza and one of our favorite movies. We laughed and talked and just enjoyed a low-key day. It was a simple celebration, but very encouraging after a long lineup of deadlines.

Were you an avid reader as a child? If so, what was your favorite book growing up?

I LOVED to read as a child. When I was in junior high, my mom would often have to tell me to turn my light off well after midnight because I wanted to read just one more chapter. I couldn’t stop. My favorite book then—and still—was The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. I’ve always loved the story of an outsider joining a Puritan community in the late 1600s and the Quaker woman she befriends.

Do you have any card/board games that you like to play? 

I adore board games. My family plays them often, especially when I’m visiting them in Arizona. Clue is one of my favorites. Perhaps it’s because I’m a suspense writer, but I love figuring out the killer. For as long as I can remember, we’ve also played the card game Phase 10. I enjoy Boggle, but I always lose to my brother, who hasn’t read a book since high school. I guess his mathematic mind sees the patterns faster than I do. But one of these days I’m going to win a game. :)

Some this-or-that questions:

Snowstorms or Thunderstorms? Snowstorms (as long as I don’t have to venture onto the roads)

Brownies or Cookies? Both!

Call or Text? Text

Early-bird or Night-owl? Night-owl

Introvert or Extrovert? Introvert

Facebook or Twitter? Facebook

Mystery or Romance? Romance

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

I’m working on a few things at the moment, including Where Two Hearts Meet, which is the second book in the Prince Edward Island Dreams series, and it releases in October. When a bed-and-breakfast chef mistakes a guest for a visiting travel writer, the future of the inn she loves is on the line—and so is her heart.

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?

Thanks again for having me. I love hearing from readers. You can find me online at www.LizJohnsonBooks.com, www.Facebook.com/LizJohnsonBooks, and www.Twitter.com/LizJohnsonBooks.

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Enter to win a copy of The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson! Giveaway is open internationally and ends 2/15/16.

How to enter: Sign into the Giveaway Tools form below (it might take a moment to load) and submit each entry you complete. Commenting alone will not get you entered – you must click enter on the form. Happy entering!

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