Author Intro: Gail Martin

See Ya On The Net: Please give the readers a brief bio on you the person and the writer.

Gail Martin: Gail Martin, the person, loves to laugh, tells funny stories about herself, has sung all her life as a soloist and with wonderful audition groups as well as at her church. She studied acting and public speaking in college and loves to travel all over the world. She is a lifelong Christian who’s always been church active with everything from congregational president to puppeteer and script writer. Gail Gaymer Martin the writer is a multi-award winning novelist who began writing fiction in 1997 and sold to Barbour Publishing in 1998. She sold to Steeple Hill in 1999 and has now sold forty contracted fiction books and twenty-three worship resource books as well as hundreds of articles for national Christian magazines. She is a popular speaker and has presented writing workshops across the US and in London, England.

See Ya On The Net: Tell us about your current book?

MARTIN: In His Eyes is the first book in the Michigan Island series for Steeple Hill set on Harsens Island in Lake St. Clair. My short blurb says: When Ellene Bordini arrives on the island, the early March wind’s bitter chill has less impact than the look in Connor Faraday’s eyes. Years had passed, but the emotions have not, and when Ellene becomes stranded on the island with her old flame, emotions heat up in more ways than one.

See Ya On The Net: What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

MARTIN: The theme of this book is based on The Bible verse theme is from Matthew 6: 22-23. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. It is a story of the weightiness of a weak faith and it teaches forgiveness and humility.

See Ya On The Net: What led you to the idea of writing this book, and then to the actual writing of it?

MARTIN: While visiting Harsens Island which has no bridge, only ferry service, my husband and I were stranded for many hours by an ice jam. His relatives mentioned about times when they were stranded for a week to three weeks when the channel has been blocked by ice with no way off the island except for emergency by helicopter. As a writer tends to do, I began to think of a plot where a formerly engaged man and woman are stranded on the island with his little daughter and a witty and elderly aunt. I did a proposal and the story sold.

See Ya On The Net: What makes your writing style unique?

MARTIN: I measure my writing by what readers say. They consistently mention three things about my writing:

1 - It flows in a poetic style.

2 - It’s filled with emotion

3 - They can’t put it down.

See Ya On The Net: What is the hardest part about writing for you?

MARTIN: Revising an idea that is truly embedded in my mind is the hardest thing to do. I”m glad this happens rarely although smaller revisions are not uncommon. But revisions of any kind affects the entire novel because I do a lot of foreshadowing, and this means rewriting much of the book.

See Ya On The Net: How did you stay motivated to finish the book?

MARTIN: Once I begin a novel, the story pulls me along, and I’m excited to finish it especially once I reach the middle. I usually have another looming deadline which is another motivation to keep writing. Right now I have sold five new books plus a non-fiction book for Writers Digest which all have deadlines.

See Ya On The Net: What do you do to make time for yourself?

MARTIN: I have a cleaning lady and landscaper, and my husband does many household tasks which gives me more writing time. I have numerous interests so I continue to sing with my choir plus perform solo work and I play handbells and handchimes which means more rehearsals. I also sing with renown Christian chorale in the Detroit metro area. I treasure friends and family and I make time for them - but I do write long hours daily.

See Ya On The Net: What was the last book to keep you up at night reading it?

MARTIN: That’s one pleasure that I can’t do justice. My reading is sporadic and even though I’m truly enjoying a book, I often have to lay it down to go back to my writing or another activity. Normally suspense keeps me reading more than anything. I’m presently reading the DaVinci Code which is very exciting. I look at it as fiction and not fact.

See Ya On The Net: How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

MARTIN: I’m very available to readers. My preferred email for readers is authorgailmartin@aol.com. My web site at www.gailmartin.com also has a hyperlink to me, and I have a blog where readers can comment at www.gailmartin.blogspot.com My web site is filled with information for both readers and writers. Under the tab For Writers, they will find workshop logs, articles and frequently asked questions. Much of this material will be incorporated into my new Writers Digest book Writing Christian Romance That Sells which will be released late next year.