Today, Love Lines from God welcomes author, Maria
Henriksen.
Maria,
tell us when you decided to become a writer. In other words, what made you
actually sit down and write something?
I have always liked writing. In fact, I wrote and illustrated
books and comic strips as early as third grade. It wasn’t until I was in my
thirties that I seriously entertained the notion of becoming a novelist. At
that time, I decided it was important to read as much as possible. From there,
I figured out what type of genre I wanted to write.
Every
writer is eventually asked this question, but where do your ideas come from?
Honestly, the ideas just pop into my head. I use
actual experiences as a springboard and then from there the real creativity
flows.
Why
do you write what you do?
I write what I like reading. Since I frequently worked
in a high school, I had access to young adult novels. Something about being
around teenagers and reading about them always interested me. I’m also a sucker
for a little romance, and I was disappointed when romance never ensued in the
books I read. Also, most of the books I encountered were not Christian, and as
a believer, I craved that spiritual component. It wasn’t until I sat down to
write Not Again that I combined all
the elements I enjoyed reading into one novel.
What
is the hardest thing about the creative process of writing?
Honestly, once I start writing, I don’t have many
issues. In that sense, I suppose the hardest thing is finding the time to
write. I really need to schedule it in my day and make it a priority or it
doesn’t happen.
If
you’re a Christian, what are the challenges you believe Christian writers face
now and in the future?
As a Christian writer, I feel the challenges we face are
embracing the differences in how we share the gospel. Since my target audience
is the youth, I intentionally created intense scenes and kept the plot moving
to keep the interest of readers who expect instant gratification. Teens today
are exposed to so much in terms of graphic violence, pre-marital sex, and otherworldly sins that should not be swept under the rug. Ignoring the existence of
sin will not put an end to it. It is our responsibility, as Christian writers,
to offer alternatives. Not Again
addresses these sins in a relatable way and provides practical and spiritual
methods to combat them.
If
you would, please tell us what was the hardest thing about writing your last
book? How long does it typically take you to finish your books?
The biggest challenge I faced in writing my novel was
deciding where to end it and what to add and delete. My original manuscript
extended the time period into college, and I didn’t realize the length of my
novel. I had no idea how many words a typical young adult novel consisted of.
It wasn’t until after I wrote it that I decided to shorten the time frame of
the novel by restricting it to high school years and to make the remainder of
the original the beginning of the sequel. That required adding an epilogue
along with other chapters to enhance the character development which lays the
groundwork for the sequel. It took me a few months to write the original
manuscript. The actual finished product took well over a year.
Name
your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.
Finding professional people of integrity who provide
valuable services is the biggest frustration I have encountered. I have worked
with several people who demonstrated their inexperience, incompetence, or lack
of work ethic, yet asked for more money than the agreed upon contract amount. I
had to start over and find new people to perform certain services or learn how
to do it myself.
Dealing with the outcome of people who have publicly
slammed my work has been gut-wrenching, too, but it has opened my eyes to the
realization that my novel is not for everyone—as I originally thought. As published
authors, we are artists who put our work out there, making ourselves vulnerable
to criticism. Some authors choose not to read their reviews for that reason. An
author friend said, “Opinions, everyone has them.”
Finally, promoting my book is an ongoing frustration.
If I don’t constantly promote it, I risk losing what I have built. Not only is
it costly to get the word out, but it is also challenging to crack the many
codes for effective advertising. Bottom line, it takes time, money, and energy to
promote a book. That’s time, money, and energy taken away from writing the next
masterpiece.
On
the flip side, what excites you the most about the creative process?
I find it rewarding to create something out of
nothing. Putting words on the screen that evoke intentional reactions like
crying or laughing is satisfying. Healing hearts one page at a time is
rewarding. Having someone accept Jesus as a result of reading Not Again is the biggest gift
imaginable.
What
are you reading now, and who are a few of your favorite authors and why?
I really don’t have any favorite authors, but I plan
on reading Knit 2, Purl 2, Kill 2 by
Erina Bridget Ring.
Would
you give the readers the buy link for your book?
And
could you provide your social media links so the readers can connect with you?
Instagram:
Goodreads:
Bookbub:
New
subscribers to my blog/newsletter also receive a FREE relaxation-audio
download. Go to the bottom sections of my website to sign up for a free
subscription. https://www.mariathenriksen.com
Maria T. Henriksen is a newly published author of Not Again. Not Again is a young adult edgy Christian romance novel. Since she
was a child, Maria has dreamed of becoming a published novelist and plans on
writing the sequel to Not Again.
Maria wears many hats. She is a wife to a doting
husband and a mother to boy/girl teenage twins, as well as a substitute teacher
of all grade levels and disciplines. In addition to writing, subbing, and
rearing her amazing twins, Maria can be found running on trails or the track to stay
fit. Her son is the inspiration for her running and she loves it so much that
running is incorporated in her book.
Maria considers writing her ministry. As a guest
blogger, Maria writes devotions and featured articles relating to the writing
and publishing world. She also hosts her own blog and is a featured guest
speaker on podcasts.
Maria also helps aspiring and fellow authors by
showcasing them and their writing on her blog and in her Facebook group,
Maria’s Muses: Inspirational, Christian, and Close-to-the-Heart Readers.
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