Angie: One joy I have as publicity officer is bringing the excellence of our authors to the public. Please welcome ACFW guest author, Kathi Macias
Kathi: Ever since I signed the contract with New Hope Publishers for my four-book fiction series, I’ve heard the same question: What’s the genre?
I suppose contemporary international fiction sums it up best, since the books are set in South Africa, Mexico, China, and Saudi Arabia, and take place in relatively modern times. But New Hope, known for its passion for missions, has opted to call it “Fiction with a Mission.” I couldn’t be more pleased.
The writing and production of this series has been an exciting adventure, as I partner with New Hope in their first-ever fiction launch, while I learn about the unique aspects of writing fiction in international settings. My greatest resource for authentic research has been connecting with people (primarily via Internet) who either currently live in the countries where my stories occur or have recently lived there. Though I began the writing of the stories based on online and book research, the personal touches that make readers say, “Wow, it’s like I’m right there!” came about as a result of feedback from those who know the areas and culture firsthand.
Much of this flies in the face of what I first learned when I started trying to make a living at arranging words on paper:Write about what you know. That was good advice then, but now that the world has become smaller and more interconnected, I’m excited to branch out and write about things that I knew nothing about until I started researching. Through it all, I’ve learned that though cultures and countries may vary drastically, human nature does not. Our dreams and desires, emotions and longings, are much the same. God has created all of us with “eternity in our hearts,” a yearning for the eternal that only a relationship with God can fulfill. With that in mind, no genre is beyond our reach if we’re willing to do the research and rewriting necessary to bring the characters in our chosen genre to life.
As Christian writers, we are part of the one true Church, the Body of Christ that has existed for centuries and crosses all boundaries and borders. There are no limits to where God can take us or how He can use the gifts He has given us to communicate His truth and His love to those who need to receive it. I am honored and humbled that He has given me the opportunity to use my words in His service, particularly this new series. It is my way of “going into all the world”—and calling others to do the same. I pray my venture into international fiction will truly prove to be “fiction with a mission” for all who read it—and who may find themselves called to expand their own writing into this exciting and growing genre.
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Series titles and release schedule:
No Greater Love: Forbidden romance, an unlikely martyr…and an even more unlikely hero (April 6, 2010)
More than Conquerors: True love ignites their passionate pursuit of His call (April 6, 2010)
Red Ink: They took her child, her family, and her freedom…but not her faith (October 2010)
People of the Book: Forced to choose between family and faith, her choice may also become life or death (January 2011)
Video trailer links for first two books:
No Greater Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOx8FRSEheA
More than Conquerors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em2dX2XDKjA
BIO: Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer and radio show host who has authored 30 books and ghostwritten numerous others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences, and recently won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association). Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al, where the two of them spend their free time riding their Harley.
Personal links:
www.kathimacias.com (website)
http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com (Easy Writer blog)