Guest Blogger ~ Norma Gail @Norma_Gail
with Marcie Bridges, @Marcie_Bridges
“He has made everything beautiful in His time.
He has set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has
done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has
done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
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| Nan, Norma, Me! |
I met Norma through a close,
personal friend on Facebook (whose name shall not be mentioned but her initials are Nan spelled backwards). We instantly became kindred spirits and we finally
got to meet each other in person last February at Writer’s Advance Bootcamp!
where the two of us along with our other best friend spent several days getting
to know each other. I am so very excited to introduce you to Norma Gail and her
first novel, Land of My Dreams.
personal friend on Facebook (whose name shall not be mentioned but her initials are Nan spelled backwards). We instantly became kindred spirits and we finally
got to meet each other in person last February at Writer’s Advance Bootcamp!
where the two of us along with our other best friend spent several days getting
to know each other. I am so very excited to introduce you to Norma Gail and her
first novel, Land of My Dreams.
Welcome to Heart Thoughts Norma!
As always, let’s begin with some background. Please, tell us
a little about yourself.
a little about yourself.
Fiction
writers are known as “plotters” and “pantsters”, depending on if they plot
everything out ahead of time or just sit down and write. I am a definite
“pantster”! I love to let words, ideas, and emotions flow. Writing fiction is a
joy! I love watching a story take shape as the characters do things I never
thought they would. Kind of like a method actor, I live the emotions with the
characters. I am working on a sequel to Land of My Dreams while keeping up with
a very busy blogging schedule and researching a historical trilogy based on
some old family stories of pioneers in Texas and New Mexico.
writers are known as “plotters” and “pantsters”, depending on if they plot
everything out ahead of time or just sit down and write. I am a definite
“pantster”! I love to let words, ideas, and emotions flow. Writing fiction is a
joy! I love watching a story take shape as the characters do things I never
thought they would. Kind of like a method actor, I live the emotions with the
characters. I am working on a sequel to Land of My Dreams while keeping up with
a very busy blogging schedule and researching a historical trilogy based on
some old family stories of pioneers in Texas and New Mexico.
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| Gorgeous New Mexico from her mountain top home! |
I pray
as much over the fiction I write as I do the devotionals. Poems are God’s gift
to me. They don’t come very often, but when they do it is usually in a time of
distress when God whispers His words of comfort to me.
as much over the fiction I write as I do the devotionals. Poems are God’s gift
to me. They don’t come very often, but when they do it is usually in a time of
distress when God whispers His words of comfort to me.
When I’m not writing, which is rare, I
love to read and travel with my husband. I could live on vacation. I LOVE to
travel. I enjoy taking my Jeep on 4×4 trails in Colorado and am a mountain girl
who could easily become a hermit up on my mountaintop. Bible study grounds me.
love to read and travel with my husband. I could live on vacation. I LOVE to
travel. I enjoy taking my Jeep on 4×4 trails in Colorado and am a mountain girl
who could easily become a hermit up on my mountaintop. Bible study grounds me.
I, for one, am very happy you are not a hermit or I’d never
get to talk to you! I love that you incorporate God’s words and His heart into
your daily life and your novels. So inquiring minds want to know, what made you
start writing? Specifically, how did you decide to write Christian romance?
get to talk to you! I love that you incorporate God’s words and His heart into
your daily life and your novels. So inquiring minds want to know, what made you
start writing? Specifically, how did you decide to write Christian romance?
After
not writing for over 20 years, I began to write devotionals for the opening of
the Bible study. Our pastor asked me to write a weekly devotional for the
church website, which made an easy transition to a devotional blog. I
remembered how much I loved writing and my dream of being published returned.
When I broke my foot and ended up in a wheelchair, the boredom got to me and I
decided to take an idea from a dream before a trip to Scotland in 2006 and see
if I could write a novel. Land of My
Dreams is the story God gave me.
not writing for over 20 years, I began to write devotionals for the opening of
the Bible study. Our pastor asked me to write a weekly devotional for the
church website, which made an easy transition to a devotional blog. I
remembered how much I loved writing and my dream of being published returned.
When I broke my foot and ended up in a wheelchair, the boredom got to me and I
decided to take an idea from a dream before a trip to Scotland in 2006 and see
if I could write a novel. Land of My
Dreams is the story God gave me.
I am a
romantic at heart and love classic romances, but also Christian romance. I
believe that Christian romance should illustrate love relationships the way God
intended them to be. I go for the mushy stuff big time, but God will always be
at the center. After all, God created romance!
romantic at heart and love classic romances, but also Christian romance. I
believe that Christian romance should illustrate love relationships the way God
intended them to be. I go for the mushy stuff big time, but God will always be
at the center. After all, God created romance!
Oh my goodness He sure did! I hate that it took a broken
foot to get you writing this book but God uses all kinds of things to get us to
our dreams. Can you give us a short synopsis of your book,
Land of My Dreams?
foot to get you writing this book but God uses all kinds of things to get us to
our dreams. Can you give us a short synopsis of your book,
Land of My Dreams?
American
professor, Bonny Bryant accepts a position at a small college in Fort William,
Scotland, craving escape from her painful past. She never expected to find
love, but fellow professor and sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell captures her
heart. He harbors a deep anger toward God. When Bonny’s former fiancé reenters
her life, Kieran’s loneliness draws him to a former student, and she must
decide between her rivals. Land of My
Dreams spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and
the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief,
undying love, and compelling faith.
professor, Bonny Bryant accepts a position at a small college in Fort William,
Scotland, craving escape from her painful past. She never expected to find
love, but fellow professor and sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell captures her
heart. He harbors a deep anger toward God. When Bonny’s former fiancé reenters
her life, Kieran’s loneliness draws him to a former student, and she must
decide between her rivals. Land of My
Dreams spans the distance between New Mexico’s high desert mountains and
the misty Scottish Highlands with a timeless story of overwhelming grief,
undying love, and compelling faith.
It’s a beautiful story and those are beautiful names but
they do
they do
struggle quite a bit throughout it. What is the main spiritual theme or
themes in the book?
God
truly does make all things beautiful in His time, but His time is not ours. Both
Bonny and Kieran harbor a deep anger toward God. As Bonny grows in her faith, they
experience the struggle of being unequally yoked with an unbeliever.
truly does make all things beautiful in His time, but His time is not ours. Both
Bonny and Kieran harbor a deep anger toward God. As Bonny grows in her faith, they
experience the struggle of being unequally yoked with an unbeliever.
How has this impacted you on a spiritual level?
As a
devotional writer and Bible study leader, I convey spiritual lessons by example
all the time. With fiction, the task is taken to another level. There is a
great need to be spiritually accurate and believable, but also entertaining. It
made me examine my own thinking on a deeper level and study the scriptures on
these topics.
devotional writer and Bible study leader, I convey spiritual lessons by example
all the time. With fiction, the task is taken to another level. There is a
great need to be spiritually accurate and believable, but also entertaining. It
made me examine my own thinking on a deeper level and study the scriptures on
these topics.
Has it impacted your marriage any?
Our
marriage is spiritually strong. The main impact on my marriage came from a
homemaker/Bible study leader turning into an almost full-time writer, blogger,
and marketer. About 80% of marketing falls to the author today and I struggle
to balance my time well. My husband is patient, encouraging, and supportive,
but he does remind me on occasion that I work too hard. He is my biggest
cheerleader, a patient listener, and willing advisor as to how a man would say
or do something. Many of the scenes in the book changed due to his input.
marriage is spiritually strong. The main impact on my marriage came from a
homemaker/Bible study leader turning into an almost full-time writer, blogger,
and marketer. About 80% of marketing falls to the author today and I struggle
to balance my time well. My husband is patient, encouraging, and supportive,
but he does remind me on occasion that I work too hard. He is my biggest
cheerleader, a patient listener, and willing advisor as to how a man would say
or do something. Many of the scenes in the book changed due to his input.
What lessons can we learn or take away from this book?
Proverbs
3:5-6 are appropriate here. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not
lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will
make your paths straight.” There would be no plot or conflict to the story if
Bonny and Kieran did as God says they should. Life would be so much easier if
we trusted and obeyed.
3:5-6 are appropriate here. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not
lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will
make your paths straight.” There would be no plot or conflict to the story if
Bonny and Kieran did as God says they should. Life would be so much easier if
we trusted and obeyed.
That is so true and a wonderful reminder to us all. Would
you like to share a favorite passage of yours from the book?
you like to share a favorite passage of yours from the book?
Let me
preface this scene by saying that my husband and I saw this rainbow from this
place on our 30th anniversary trip to Scotland:
preface this scene by saying that my husband and I saw this rainbow from this
place on our 30th anniversary trip to Scotland:
“Come see this.” Kieran and
Bonny stood atop Grant Tower at Urquhart Castle, overlooking Loch Ness. For
her, it was a place of poignant memories. He pointed to a rainbow arching from
one side of the loch to the other as she moved into the crook of his arm. “Now,
down there.”
Bonny stood atop Grant Tower at Urquhart Castle, overlooking Loch Ness. For
her, it was a place of poignant memories. He pointed to a rainbow arching from
one side of the loch to the other as she moved into the crook of his arm. “Now,
down there.”
She stood on tiptoe and looked
to where he pointed, at the base of the tower.
to where he pointed, at the base of the tower.
“Step onto that ledge and I’ll
steady you.”
steady you.”
The warmth of his hands around
her waist contrasted with the chill wind. She shivered and leaned close enough
to hear the stubble on his chin scratching against her raincoat. “The rainbow
enters the water at the foot of the tower. Another fifty feet, and it would
form a complete circle. Amazing.”
her waist contrasted with the chill wind. She shivered and leaned close enough
to hear the stubble on his chin scratching against her raincoat. “The rainbow
enters the water at the foot of the tower. Another fifty feet, and it would
form a complete circle. Amazing.”
His arms tightened around her. “No more so
than the woman in my arms.”
than the woman in my arms.”
She kept silent. Did he feel it?
What could be more romantic than a rainbow all their own?
What could be more romantic than a rainbow all their own?
“No one else sees it.”
His warm breath tickled her ear,
and she leaned against him, wrapped in a sense of wonder and delight. No one
even wrote things this perfect. “Just we two.”
and she leaned against him, wrapped in a sense of wonder and delight. No one
even wrote things this perfect. “Just we two.”
Kieran bent over her, his lips
touching hers, tentative and searching. She leaned into his arms, her heart
leaping in her chest as she allowed her lips to reveal her readiness to move
forward. The scent of him was becoming so familiar. The taste of him was even
sweeter.
touching hers, tentative and searching. She leaned into his arms, her heart
leaping in her chest as she allowed her lips to reveal her readiness to move
forward. The scent of him was becoming so familiar. The taste of him was even
sweeter.
Perfect! Before we go, as always, how may my readers find
and contact you?
Website: www.normagail.org
Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/
Book Links:
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864?ean=9781941103173
Author
bio:
bio:
Norma Gail’s debut
contemporary Christian romance, Land of
My Dreams, released in 2014 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She
has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 21 years. Her devotionals and poetry
have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the StitchesthruTime blog, and in “The
Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance
Writers of America, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She and her husband
of 39 years have two adult children.
Scottish Tea & Conversation with Norma Gail
Thank you for hosting me today, Marcie! One of the greatest gifts I could have is the friendship with you and Nan. I wouldn't have happened without that broken foot and writing. You are a blessing!
It's my greatest honor and pleasure to have you here Norma. 🙂
What a FUN interview! I loved it 🙂 I like how you disguised my identity Marvie. I really did laugh out loud!
I was hoping you would! 🙂