Please welcome Camille Eide to By The Book today. I first encountered this talented author when I read The Memoir of Johnny Devine — outstanding! I then was privileged to read Wings Like A Dove, another excellent novel. You cannot go wrong with either of these books. Camille has graciously shared her thoughts on her writing journey plus is offering a giveaway of an ebook of Wings Like A Dove to one of my readers! (Leave a comment, to enter.)

Thanks, so much Camille!

Many authors say that they have always been a writer — making up stories as a child. When did you first become a writer?

Age 7. I wrote and illustrated my first novel. It was about Snoopy. I don’t remember it, but am fairly certain it wasn’t a bestseller.

Was there a special someone, such as a teacher, parent, or other relative, who encouraged you to pursue writing?

Yes — my 8^th grade English teacher loaned me books she thought I’d like and encouraged me to submit short stories for a school publication. She believed I could write and encouraged me to pursue it. Which I did some — skits and plays for church, an odd article here and there, but with life, work, raising kids — I had never taken myself seriously as a writer until my youngest was in high school. One day in 2007, a friend and I brainstormed a Christian romance. I mulled over a plot and decided to try writing a novel. Voila! Success! Not really! That burst of inspiration, in my blissful ignorance, was just the first step on a long journey of learning to write and publish fiction. That brainstormed story finaled in a contest and was eventually published 7 years later as Like There’s No Tomorrow.

Why did you choose the Historical genre?

I like and write both contemporary and historical fiction. For this story, I decided the social/cultural issues I wanted to explore needed the backdrop of an earlier era of American History. Oddly enough, when I first began researching and writing Anna’s story, immigration was not the hot topic that it has since become. But regardless the current climate on immigration, I think we will always benefit from conversation about grace and understanding.

Were there any obstacles you faced in your journey to publication?

Yes — my own blissful ignorance. Which I worked hard to overcome — and still do — by studying the craft and reading. And over the years, after attempting to contract with a major publishing house, my desire has changed. I am working with a small press whose community vision and goal I am behind 100%. 

What types of research do you pursue? Books, on-site visits, etc.

ANYTHING I can get my hands on.

What does a typical writing day look like? Are you structured or informal in your writing schedule?

I wish I had a disciplined writing schedule, as in produce fabulous words while the clock is ticking, but I never have been good at that. I work by day as a church office manager, and am grammy to 5, so I write in the stretches between, and mostly late into the night and weekends.

How long does it usually take to craft your books? (from outlines/first drafts to final edits) 

They have varied, but at least a year for a first draft, more for those that had to be shelved due to family needs. My first book went through the wringer for about 7 years before it was published. My 3^rd (Johnny Devine) took less than a year to write and needed very little editing. But that was unusual, the idea for that story came to me clearly in a dream. Wings Like a Dove is my 4^th and work on it started and stopped a few times, so I’ve lost track of how long it actually took to write. Book #5 is the same way.

Can you tell us a little about what inspired your latest novel.

Wings Like a Dove was inspired by a number of things: the desire to look at the “what if” question of a woman persecuted for being Jewish and pregnant, and a deeper desire to explore the problem of societal barriers and possible solutions. 

What do you want your readers to take away with them after finishing one of your novels?

There is a love that never fails, and that grace, forgiveness, and compassion are powerful gifts we have at our disposal, both to give, and to receive.

Readers always want to know what is next for an author. Do you have any works in progress you can share about?

Yes! I’m resuming work on a contemporary romantic women’s fiction about a woman with a secret desperate to protect her son from her estranged twin, and a confidante no longer able to keep secrets. It’s a story about the ties that bind mothers, sisters, daughters and the power to face our deepest fears.

Camille Eide is the award-winning author of “more than a romance” inspirational fiction including The Memoir of Johnny Devine. Camille lives in the foothills of the Oregon Cascades with her husband and is blessed with three adult kids, five grandkids, and enjoys the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. She also loves the liberating truth, grace, and wisdom of God’s word, and hopes that her stories will stir your heart, encourage your faith, and cheer you on your journey. 

Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of Wings Like A Dove. To enter, just leave a comment. One winner will be randomly chosen on March 2. (Please note: US only.)

Can the invisible walls that separate people ever come down?

In 1933, Anna Leibowicz is convinced that the American dream that brought her Jewish family here from Poland is nothing but an illusion. Her father has vanished. Her dreams of college can’t make it past the sweat-shop door. And when she discovers to her shame and horror that she’s with child, Anna is forced to leave home. She seeks refuge in a small Indiana town where anti-Semitism is becoming hard to ignore, and trying not to fall in love is becoming impossible.

With the Klan presence in town growing, and the danger to six orphan boys and their kind-hearted mentor increasing the longer she stays, Anna is torn between fleeing to keep this family safe … and staying to fight beside them. 

It’s a tale of love, loyalty, and the power of grace. 

Tags: Camille Eide, historical fiction