Author Sidney Frost Interview!

Good morning all! Please help me welcome author, Sidney Frost author of Where Love Once Lived.

AW: Tell me about yourself…

SWF: I am retired and living in Sun City, Texas, doing what I always wanted to do and never had time. I'm talking about WRITING. I raised three children and always worked fulltime and, for the past thirty years I had a second job of teaching part time at the local community college.

Well, maybe I couldn't find time to write because I didn't just work. I was active in church, especially the choir. In later years, I was a Stephen Leader and Stephen Minister. I also sang in community choirs. The longest running one was in the Austin Lyric Opera Chorus where I was in forty-two performances. I spent so much time in rehearsal during those fifteen years I still dream about it.

I did manage to write several non-fiction books. Two were self-published, but one was with a traditional publisher. However, it was a computer book and sadly out of date.

When I first started writing a novel in earnest, I took online classes to learn how. I was fortunate to get a wonderful instructor, author Bonnie Hearn Hill, and she continues to help me today.

AW: What genera do you write and why?

SWF: I write religious fiction, also called Christian fiction, or inspirational fiction. My first book, Where Love Once Lived, is almost a romance. It has male and female protagonists and the story goal is to get them together. It's not quite a romance because of the subplots having to do with interracial marriage, finding God, as well as several strong supporting characters.

My second book fits more into the mystery/thriller subgenre, but it, too, is inspirational.

AW: Tell us about your latest book….

SWF: As I mentioned, Where Love Once Lived is almost a romance. Brian and Karen breakup in college at a time when she thinks he is about to propose, and he leaves the state without telling her why. The crisis causes him to give up God entirely and causes her to move closer to God. The book opens thirty years later. They are both divorced. They both have daughters. Brian wants to win back the one person he ever loved. She doesn't want to have anything to do with him. The rest of the book is about what happened to cause the breakup and how they both must change for a loving relationship.

And, as I also said, there are some interesting subplots along the way.

AW: What was your inspiration for this book?

SWF: When I was in college back in the 1960s, I drove a bookmobile part time. I met an interesting librarian and made notes about a novel based on the experience. However, when I started writing, the Brian/Karen story grew out of the bookmobile idea and overpowered the librarian.

AW: Do you have a favorite character and why that one?

SWF: The librarian's name is Liz and she is my favorite. Everyone seems to like her and she is in my second book as well, still a supporting character, however. But, I also like George McCullough, the seventy-eight year old black father of Brian's best friend Phil. George and Liz together help Brian find the right path, but George, in particular, says some things I've been known to say.

AW: What project(s) are you currently working on?

SWF: The Vengeance Squad is may second book, and all that remains are some minor tasks. The text and the cover are done, and the interior is formatted. Our own John 3:16 Network Group member, Delia Latham, designed the cover and it is outstanding. All I need to do now is finish writing the dedication, acknowledgements, etc. I'm adding an author interview and discussion questions since the book is short (72,000 words).

In addition to getting book two published, I am writing book three. I'm calling it Do Unto Others for now. It is a continuation of Where Love Once Lived.

AW: Do you have any advice for writers out there?

SWF: The one thing I missed in all my studies was that it is important to learn what publishers are looking for before you start writing. I don't mean story subjects because that can change. I mean genre and length, that type of thing. I guess if you did write the Great American Novel, you would find a publisher for it. However, it is much easier to sell a book publishers want.

AW: Where can we find you? (facebook, twitter, blog, website, etc)

SWF: I'd love to hear from you and will answer all comments on this blog.

Website: http://sidneywfrost.com
Blog: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sidneywfrost
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sidney-W-Frost/131589900213725?sk=wall

AW: And of course we have to know, where can we find your book? (your website, publisher, amazon, etc)
SWF: The print edition of Where Love Once Lived is available on most all online bookstores. In particular, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Sidney-W-Frost/131589900213725?sk=wall to order it from Amazon.com.

The Kindle edition is available at Amazon as well. For other ebook formats, go to lulu.com, and iTunes for the iPad edition.

Thank you, Ashley, for this time to talk about my writing experience and my books.

Thank you Sid and I wish you the best of luck! :)