Today, Love Lines from God welcomes author, Megan Kinney.
Welcome, Megan, Tell us when you decided to become a writer? In other words, what made you actually sit down and write something?
I’ve always loved to write, but my earliest memory of it was in the second grade when I wrote a story about a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day. I wrote my first book sixteen years ago when I was pregnant with my first child.
Every writer is eventually asked this question, but where do your ideas come from?
Most of my ideas come from hearing about a circumstance and imagining what it would be like to be that person. For instance, with my debut novel, Dakota Peace, I was at a funeral for a fallen police officer. The dispatcher who had taken the call when the officer died called the officer’s number over the radio for the last time and told the officer to rest in peace because they had it from there. I couldn’t get that moment out of my head, and the story of a dispatcher with burnout was born.
Why do you write what you do?
I write women’s fiction because those are the characters I have the most connection to.
What is the hardest thing about the creative process of writing?
The hardest part of the creative process for me is finding a conflict that motivates the characters to change and that will continue through the whole book. I usually create the character’s personalities and their struggles pretty easily, but sometimes the plot gives me problems or people who know more about that issue shoot holes in my plot. My husband is a state trooper, and he did that several times in Dakota Peace. But the book is better because he made me rethink the plot.
If you’re a Christian, what are the challenges you believe Christian writers face now and in the future?
I’m Christian writing in the general market, so I struggled with how to help the characters grow without giving God the credit.
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 hardest thing about writing Dakota Peace was working through many of the mistakes first-time authors make. I had a lot of back story that had to be edited out, and I needed to be more consistent in the struggles my characters were trying to overcome. Cutting some great scenes that did not move the story forward was hard, but I see how the finished product is far better than the original. It usually takes me a year to write and edit a book.
Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.
I’m just starting my journey through the writing business, so my frustrations were more from my own ignorance of the process. Learning to market, especially online when I didn’t have much of a platform to begin with, was tough. I could have used some more instruction from the beginning, but I’ve found some amazing people who have guided me through it. Finding a publishing company that wanted to take a chance on a first-time author was difficult as well.
On the flip side, what excites you the most about the creative process?
I love when the words flow and a scene comes together, especially when it’s unexpected even to me. And I love it when I get positive feedback on my work.
What are you reading now, and who are a few of your favorite authors and why?
My favorite genre to read is historical fiction because I love to step back into a different time period. I just finished On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White. It’s about a nurse and a code breaker/pilot during WWI. I love reading Elizabeth Camden, Melanie Dickerson, Jody Hedlund, and Jen Turan’s historical novels.
Can you give readers the buy link for your book?
https://shoplpc.com/dakota-peace
https://www.amazon.com/Dakota-Peace-Megan-Kinney/dp/1645262553
And can you provide your social media links so readers can follow you?
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