If you didn't know that Christians could read romance novels be inspired. Author M.A. Malcolm visits with us and shares more about why she writes and what got her started.
What do you do when you are not writing?
The truth is, I hardly ever have the
time to write! I’m the wife of a successful entrepreneur and the mother of a three-year-old
who has an insatiable appetite for all kinds of learning. That alone keeps me
pretty busy! I’m also a certified copy editor with my own freelance service called
Nitpicking with a Purpose, where I work on improving the writing of Christian
authors and others. As if that’s not enough, I’m a part-time college instructor
and administrative service provider. Every few months, I remember that I’m also
a blogger. It’s a lot! There isn’t a lot of sleep in my world.
When did you first start writing and when did you finish your
first book?
The first drafts on my computer date
back to 2010, but I started out on paper — probably somewhere in 2009. In 2013,
I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and started over
from scratch using the same outline. I ended up writing over 50,000 words that
month. That version became what is now His
Last Hope, which I finished writing early this year (2015) and published in
July.
How did you choose the genre you write in?
Christian romance is what I read, so
that’s what I feel led to write. I’ve actually been an avid reader since I was
a small child, and I still enjoy reading when I can; I love having an e-reader
app on my phone – I can read just about anywhere. I love reading so much that I
did a master’s degree in Spanish American Literature. Before becoming a
Christian, I used to devour secular romance novels, and after dedicating my
life to the Lord, I was thrilled to discover Christian romance. I’ve read so many
novels that for me, it was the logical choice. I did try writing Christian non-fiction in 2009, but it just didn’t ‘click’
for me. I eventually incorporated the message I wanted to share in that book
into my first novel.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or
purely all imagination?
The main plot of His Last Hope is completely fictional. More
than a decade ago, I read a secular novel about an amnesiac who fell for the
detective working on her case, and I remember wishing at the time that the
author had gone in a different direction and included a pregnancy. After
waiting on someone else to write that
book, I decided to try and write it. That part of the story was all my
imagination; however, there is a sub-plot that deals with loss and how
Christians feel when their dreams and expectations are shattered. The sub-plot
was loosely based on an episode in my own life when my husband and I dealt with
two pregnancy losses early in our marriage. I channeled my emotions into the
sub-plot. I took what really happened to us and fictionalized it by adding and
subtracting as I went along. A lot of what the character shares in her journal
is based on my own journal entries from that period. Interestingly, the whole
purpose of writing and publishing the book is to deliver the message of the
sub-plot, not that of the plot.
What project are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a prequel
to my first novel. After my beta readers were given advance copies of His Last Hope, several said they would
like to know the story of the married couple who were the focus of the
sub-plot. It never even occurred to me before then that I might write another
novel, but I found myself wanting to know their story, too. I started writing
it in February 2015, but decided after seven months to scrap it and start
again. That said, I hope to have it ready before the summer of 2016. I also
have two more related ideas I’m toying with. I suspect this year’s NaNoWriMo is
going to be very hectic for me! Readers may end up with a His Last Hope series before too long!
What brought you to write this book?
During my first pregnancy, it was
prophesied that my son would reach people for Christ without opening his mouth.
When he was stillborn, I wondered if the prophecy had died with him. Now I
understand that this book is in fact the fulfillment of that prophecy. If I had
never lost him, I would never have felt led to help others to deal with loss,
and now that the book is “out there,” it really is “reaching people for Christ.” Sadly, I suffered a miscarriage
less than a year after the stillbirth. That was when the idea of writing a book
to help Christians deal with these challenges came to me. I prayed about it,
because I’d never considered writing a book before, and confirmation was swift.
As I mentioned, I tried the non-fiction route, but it wasn’t for me. I didn’t
want to write a novel about pregnancy loss, though, so I decided to merge that
message and the amnesia plot I’d already been thinking about for years. It took
six years, but I’m humbled that since publication, God has allowed the book to
bring a message of hope to the hearts of Christian readers. My first two
children may not have lived in the flesh, but through the novel and the
donation of part proceeds to the maternity ward of the Soddo Christian Hospital
in Ethiopia, so many lives will be impacted by them. I pray that the Lord will
continue to use the book to reach those who need it most.
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About author M.A. Malcolm
M. A. Malcolm still finds it hard to believe that she is a published Christian author. A certified copy editor and college instructor, she has been interested in writing fiction since her childhood. The lonely, blinking cursors surrounded by stark white space, however, convinced her that writing wasn't one of her gifts.
Until she had something she was desperate to say.
In the wake of multiple pregnancy losses early in her marriage, she felt led to write something that would help Christian women to deal with grief. After several failed attempts to translate her thoughts to the pages of a self-help book, she began to write a fictional story line that incorporated some of the painful issues she wanted to address. Soon, it was as if the characters had a life of their own, and she could only accompany them on their journey towards healing and love.
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Check out the LIVE interview on Modern Living with Dr. Angela on October 6, 2015
