About Book
Nicole
Wise loves her new life in Prague almost as much as she loves telling people
about Jesus. But when an election upset changes the balance of power in the
formerly communist country, Nicole’s outspoken attempts at evangelism lead to
her parents’ arrest on espionage charges.
Teaming up with Jakub, a handsome, young Romani Czech, who has grown up
homeless, Nicole and her little brother, Adam, evade corrupt authorities by
hiding out in underground tunnels of the ancient city while hoping to find
evidence of their parents’ innocence. Their last resort is to make the proof
public in a desperate bid to save them before it’s too late.
When Nicole and Adam’s parents are caught in a standoff between political
forces that threaten to erupt into a bloody civil war, Nicole finds herself
standing alone against an army, faith her only defense.
About Author
FELICIA
BOWEN BRIDGES’ adventure began as an Army brat,
living in eight states and two foreign countries by the age of fifteen.
Felicia’s nomadic childhood inspired novels which reflect God’s power in the
lives of His children and inspire others to follow Christ with child-like
abandon. CzechMate is the first in The International Mission Force
series which chronicles the epic adventures of teens serving in exotic places.
Both CzechMate and the second book in the series, Where Heaven Meets
Earth (re-titled BoliviaKnight), have won awards at the Blue Ridge
Mountains Christian Writers Conference. CzechMate is available for order
now! She also writes non-fiction short stories based on her personal experience
and centered on God’s grace. Felicia’s short stories have been included in Then
Along Came an Angel, Messengers of Deliverance and God’s Provision in
Tough Times.
Interview
Welcome to my blog Felicia. Thank you for taking the time to answer a few
questions about yourself and your latest book.
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Q:
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Tell us about your
latest work—title, genre, etc. — and why you wrote it?
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A:
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My debut novel,
CzechMate, is the first in the International Mission Force series. It’s a
young adult action/adventure about a young missionary in Prague who must
prove her parents are innocent of espionage before it’s too late. My hope for
the International Mission Force series is to provide an exciting read that
introduces readers to another culture and inspires future missionaries.
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Q:
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What draws you to
your genre(s)? Why is this type of story compelling to you?
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A:
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Originally, I was
inspired to write this story after my daughter and I returned from a mission
trip. She wanted to read about missionaries, but the only books we could find
were biographies from a century before. I thought, what could be more
exciting as a teenager than living abroad? What if there were stories about
such teenage missionaries that also incorporated geography, history, politics
and folklore? Personally, I love a story that keeps you turning pages into
the wee hours of the morning because you just can’t put it down.
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Q:
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What is your writing
process like? Do you map the whole thing out or do you just let it unfold?
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A:
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With CzechMate, it
was entirely organic. The story unfolded slowly over several years in fits
and starts and then was redesigned, sanded and polished for several more
years as I learned more about the craft. With the second book in the series,
BoliviaKnight, which will be released in December 2016, a looming deadline
added a sense of urgency. A basic plot outline was essential in order to meet
the deadline while planning two weddings for my daughters in less than six
months and working full-time! Although the creative process still resulted in
the original plot evolving, the basic outline really helped me meet my
deadline.
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Q:
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What kind of
research was involved?
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A:
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In writing
CzechMate, I spent immeasurable hours in research online to learn about Czech
history and folklore. I even had the opportunity to return to Prague and
visit the Prague Underground in order to gather more information, as well as
visiting the site for the standoff at the climax of the book, Prague City
Hall.
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Q:
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How much of YOU
makes it into your characters?
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A:
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My heroine is more
who I wish I were than who I am. Although she incorporates some of my
weaknesses, such as being at times overzealous or rushing into things, her
courage, faith and strength are characteristics I admire.
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Q:
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How do you balance
the need to have time to write with the needs of family, society, etc.?
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A:
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This has been
especially challenging since I signed my first contract last October. The way
that I find balance is to order my priorities in a way that honors God and
trust Him to provide the time needed for everything else. In practical terms,
that means my day starts with spending time in the Bible and in prayer. I
work a full-time job as an HR Manager with the Division of Public Health
which often requires additional hours or bringing work home. My evenings
include preparing dinner for my family (two sons remain at home and, as I
mentioned, my two daughters are recently married). Most of my writing is done
after the rest of the family heads to bed, making my night-owl tendencies a
huge blessing. Numerous times in the run up to my deadline for BoliviaKnight,
when I thought it was hopeless, God provided circumstances that gave me extra
time to write because of a holiday, illness or snow days.
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Q:
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Have there been any
authors in particular, that inspired your writing?
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A:
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My two most favorite
authors are Jerry B. Jenkins and Ted Dekker. Mr. Jenkins was the keynote
speaker at the first writers conference I attended in 2010 (Blue Ridge
Mountain Christian Writers Conference) and a major reason for my attendance.
Sitting in his thick-skinned manuscript review was a great privilege and he
has continued to be an encouragement to me on the journey. Ted Dekker is
keynoting the ACFW Conference this August, which will be my first time
attending ACFW.
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Q:
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Is there a story you
want to tell behind or about your work(s)?
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A:
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The experience that
prompted this particular story involved the election that the Czech Republic
was facing in 2004 during our first missionary trip to Prague. I was
surprised to learn that there were Communists actively campaigning to return
the country to communism. Many people were unhappy with some of the
“progress” that free enterprise had brought to their country. Organized
crime, corruption, prostitution and pornography were just a few of the
Western influences which had flourished in their newfound freedom.
Understanding the complexity of the issues they faced provided a more
compassionate and inclusive view of the people.
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Q:
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What other projects
are you currently working on or about to start?
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A:
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In addition to final
edits on BoliviaKnight and plotting for Book 3, which will be set in Kenya, I
am also working on story ideas for a crossover trilogy which will provide
similar insights into another culture, along with action and adventure. I’m
hoping to pitch this idea at ACFW.
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Q:
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Could you share some
of your marketing strategies? Which ones are the most effective in your
opinion?
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A:
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I have so much yet
to learn regarding marketing! And with limited time, I have more ideas than
hours in which to implement them. One of the most successful events I’ve
planned was my CzechMate Online Czat. For 2 hours, I posted Q&A about the
book, my writing process, and getting published, as well as pictures and
music from Prague and answered comments and questions from my readers. I also
had drawings throughout the time for free books, gift cards, and a charm
bracelet based on the protagonist in the book. The charm bracelet was a huge
hit and I may start selling those on my website to help generate some
marketing funds for items like a book trailer, banner ads, etc.
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Q:
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What would be the
top five, (or 3 or 1 or however many) things you would tell aspiring authors?
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A:
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My number one piece
of advice is to attend a regional writers conference, and if you’re in the
North Carolina/Virginia/South Carolina/Tennessee area, Blue Ridge Mountains
Christian Writers Conference in Black Mountain is my favorite. Don’t tell
yourself you aren’t good enough, aren’t ready or aren’t a “real writer.”
There is no such thing. Second: WRITE! It is so easy to let life get in the
way of your writing. Write something every single day, even if it is just to
journal about your feelings. Third, build relationships with other writers,
especially ones who will hold you accountable for #2. The best way to find
these people is via #1. Fourth would be: SUBMIT! That is absolutely the
hardest part of the writing process, in my opinion. Pressing send on a
proposal and manuscript and praying that the person on
the other side of that inbox loves your baby is the most daunting thing I’ve
ever done. Finally, don’t ever give up. In Tae Kwon Do, they say, “A black
belt is a white belt who never gave up.” A published author is just an author
who never gave up. If you write, submit, revise, resubmit and repeat and keep
on repeating, you can do this!
Again,
thanks Felicia for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. We appreciate
you and your work.
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