Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. Her novel, Falling to Pieces, was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner for best mystery. She writes Amish mysteries for Zondervan, Amish romances for Harvest House and Amish novellas for Abingdon and Zondervan. All of her books have been Christian Book Distributor bestsellers. Her first self-published book is an inspirational romantic suspense titled Hidden. Chapman lives in the Texas hill country with her husband.
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS VANNETTA?
DANA JACOBS would
rather forget the night of tragedy and violence that marred her childhood. She
is now supervisor in charge of the Department of Homeland Security in Taos, New
Mexico. Her team is prepared to handle any threat—biological, chemical,
conventional, cyber, even nuclear. BENJAMIN MARSHALL is newly assigned to
Dana’s office. Straight from a six year military deployment, he is not what
Dana wants or needs.
Ben knows God has
a reason for putting him in this place at this time—to help Dana. When a local
school is threatened, they open a case which leads them on a chase through the
Enchanted Circle and Carson National Forest, pursuing a man filled with a
bitterness Dana can understand. But her anger is different. It’s justified, it
remains hidden inside, and it hurts
no one.
Can Dana face her
own mortality? And when she does, can she truly understand what it means to
forgive and to be forgiven?
Alexa: All right. Let’s get started, Vannetta. How often do you get lost in a story?
Vannetta: I’m lost most of the time, just ask my husband! J But seriously, I am rather absent minded and that’s partially because my nose is usually stuck in a book (or e-reader). I read approximately 2 books a week—more if we’re travelling because I love to read in the car or plane!
Alexa: What’s your favorite cartoon character?
Vannetta: Cookie Monster, for obvious reasons.
Alexa: Can you tell us
about a real-life hero you’ve met?
Vannetta: It will sound
corny, but my husband! He’s a great guy who always does the “right thing.”
We’ve been married 15 years, and I’m a very blessed woman to have met him. (ps
– he’s shy, so don’t tell him I put him on a blog.)Alexa: Who’s your favorite villain?
Vannetta: You know I thought BEN LINUS on Lost was just awful. Beady little eyes and an evil mind. But then he became a good guy in Person of Interest and it took me a LONG time to decide I could like him.
Alexa: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?
Vannetta: I don’t “put myself” in the role, I AM THE ROLE. J Which is why I like strong, brave, funny, smart female characters. I want to be all those things.
Alexa: What’s the first
thing you do when you finish writing a book?
Vannetta: I step away from
the computer and shout “Yes! I’m done! I’m never sitting in front of this
computer again!” That lasts for a few hours. But seriously, I try to take off
at least a day or two between projects. No play time would make for a very
grumpy writer.Vannetta: No one really asks that. I think stories are VERY important—whether they’re stories we hear in a song, or watch on the television, or read in a book. Stories are the way we learn things without having to go through the pain and/or experience. Stories connect us to other people and other places. They give us empathy and compassion and entertainment all at once. They help us to laugh and hope in the darkest of times. I think story-telling will continue as long as man (woman) is on this Earth … and though the format may change the fact of story-telling is a very important blessing. (Writer now steps off her soap box.)
Vannetta: Wow. Great question. I think it means to put their needs before your own. When we love someone, we care so deeply for them that their needs ARE the same as our needs—we celebrate with them, cry with them, and long to spend time with them.
Alexa: And finally, have you got a question you’d like to ask your fans?
Vannetta: I set the story HIDDEN in Taos because it’s a memorable place for me – we honeymooned there. What location is memorable for you and why?Thanks so much for joining us today, Vannetta! Folks, our guest will be offering a free copy of a book her choice to one North American commenter so get busy answering the question!
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First of all, I LOVE Vanetta's books! Home is where the story begins, in Hidden. Home, for me, is the mountains of western Virginia. Fall always makes me want to be there, the beauty of where I grew up, the trees and mountains...never leaves you.
ReplyDeleteHome IS where our story begins, Patricia. Thanks so much for stopping by, and Virginia sounds LOVELY. BTW, I'll be in Williamsburg, VA on November 1. I suppose that is quite a distance from where you are. Details are here http://colonialpiecemakers.com
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to GLIAS, Vannetta !
ReplyDeleteGood to see you with another release !
I live in the mountains of VA. It is beautiful here. I moved away for several years, but there's no place like home and I moved back.
ReplyDeleteMy most memorable location has to be my grandparents old home. So many good memories there. Grandma lived there from 1940 - 2011. She passed away in 2011, 6 months shy of being 100 years old. Sadly, after her passing, the home was sold to strangers. But I still have my memories.
Campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Paris for the food
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
New author for me but sounds very good.
ReplyDelete