Spotlight Saturday: Author Interview with Laurie Stroup Smith

Happy Saturday, Readers! You’re going to love today’s Saturday Spotlight author, Laurie Stroup Smith. She’s a perfect author to interview on this blog because she writes Amish fiction, which I know a lot of you all enjoy. Read on to learn more about Laurie…

Now that you know a little about Laurie, let’s jump into the interview…

Hi, Laurie! Thanks so much for visiting the blog today. Let’s start with talking a little bit about books. What’s the last book that had a significant emotional impact on you? It might be a story that made you cry or one that had you delirious with laughter. Why do you think it had that impact?

In March of this year, I finally picked up The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I added this book to my TBR pile in March 2019, after loving both The Nightingale and Home Front. In The Great Alone, a Vietnam POW uproots his family and moves to Alaska, where they live off the grid. It is “a daring, beautiful…story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.”

Friends told me this was a tough read, but I didn’t expect the story would leave me in a funk for the better part of a weekend. The one-year anniversary of the pandemic happened to fall on the day I finished reading this book. At the same time I was processing what I had read, I was reflecting on the various impacts of the outbreak on our family, our community, and our world. Maybe I shouldn’t have read a book about isolation during a global pandemic. Maybe I shouldn’t have read a book about a girl and her parents, their loves, and their losses when I was still grieving the death of my father.

That all being said, I don’t regret reading this book. The Great Alone is a story about survival, redemption, and forgiveness—I enjoy reading these themes across genres. I admire Kristin Hannah’s ability to create strong characters—characters I care about and empathize with even if I can’t stand their flaws or if I disagree with their decisions. I think she is a phenomenal storyteller, and I have great difficulty putting down her books.

Wow, that sounds like a powerful story. I’ll have to check that one out! I really enjoy character-driven fiction as well and have been immersing myself in women’s fiction lately. What about your creative process? Which part of the book creation process do you like best– brainstorming, writing, editing, marketing?

While I do enjoy brainstorming new stories, my favorite part of the creative process is editing. In the last half of April, I received edits for two different manuscripts, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the notes and suggestions as to how I might make these stories stronger. Manipulating scenes that are already fleshed out on the page is more entertaining to me than weaving words together in the initial draft.

We’re definitely alike in that regard! I know a lot of authors get a rush from creating the first draft of a story, but for me, it’s always the toughest part of the process. I think I’m more left-brained than right-brained 😊 Editing is when I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief as all the story elements go from confusion to clarity. Speaking of the challenge the blank page presents, we all have projects that are a real bear! Which book of yours was the toughest to write? Why?

I’ve found I’m most productive when I have a significant block of time to write, and I work best when it’s silent (with few distractions, at least). While writing Pockets of Purpose, Book #2 in The Pocket Quilt Series, during this pandemic, finding chunks of time in a quiet space proved to be a huge obstacle. Our teenagers were home for remote learning last spring followed by summer break, and at this same time, my husband was home on a four-month furlough. To further complicate the situation, my dad battled congestive heart failure and endocarditis for sixteen months and passed away in October.

This book proved tough to write for a variety of reasons, and so I wasn’t surprised when unexpected circumstances and delays threatened to interfere with the publication process. Despite the uncertainty throughout the entire process, I loved getting to know Gideon and Dixie, and I hope you enjoy reading their story.

I’m so sorry to hear you had a challenging time and to hear of your father’s passing. My family will be praying for comfort for your family as you adjust. I’ve had a book or two which were created during a difficult season in my life, too, and it’s a particular joy to see those books finally out in the world because they were so hard-won. You mentioned that you enjoyed getting to know Gideon and Dixie. Which one of those characters do you consider to be most like you?

Oh, my goodness, it is definitely Gideon Petersheim, the hero in Pockets of Purpose, Book #2 in The Pocket Quilt Series. In this book, Gideon, an Amish auctioneer, has surgery to remove a cyst from his vocal cords. Complications from the procedure interfere with his healing, leaving him searching for his passions and purpose. He drove me absolutely bonkers while I wrote his story! A scene would play out on the page, and I would stare at my laptop and say, “Are you kidding me? What is wrong with you?”

It didn’t take me long to realize much of my frustration with Gideon hinged on mounting frustrations with myself. Between the pandemic, my dad’s declining health, and a book launch that didn’t resemble what I had initially planned, I experienced a wide range of emotions, including the bitterness and anger Gideon feels when the trajectory of the future he has so carefully planned is suddenly altered. I’ve always pictured him with a Heath Ledger smile, so it’s hard to stay mad at him for too long.

Ha, our characters really do become like real people to us during the writing process, don’t they? It’s so interesting when they teach us things about ourselves. Writing can really teach a lot, and of course, so can reading the Bible. In the Bible, do you have a “life verse” that’s significant to you? Do you find yourself exploring this theme often in your work?

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Growing up, I played soccer. My dad worked with me and often illustrated his helpful tips on the backs of envelopes. He’d tell me to “keep knocking, someone will answer the door,” which meant to keep shooting the ball, and I’d eventually score. Since then, these words have inspired me in other aspects of both my personal and professional life.

Waiting to hear what editors think about my writing has been the toughest part of this journey to publication. While praying for the right manuscript to land on the right desk at the right time, I have continued to knock on their doors. I was writing my seventh manuscript when Vinspire Publishing opened the door and offered me a three-book contract.

I continue to read craft books and seek the counsel of other authors to improve my character development and storytelling skills. I like for characters to have to rely on their faith to persevere over obstacles, so I guess I do explore this Bible verse through my writing.

What a wonderful lesson your dad taught you about the power of persistence, and it looks like it’s paid off! Your upcoming book sounds wonderful, and I know readers are excited to know where they can find you online…

I can be found…

Website: lauriestroupsmith.com (Newsletter signup link on homepage)

Email: Lauriestroupsmith@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriestroupsmith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriestroupsmith

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/LaurieMSmith

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19903556.Laurie_Stroup_Smith

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LStroupSmith

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I appreciate you visiting the blog today, Laurie! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know more about you and your writing. Readers, if you’d like to check out Laurie’s upcoming release, Pockets of Purpose (book #2 in The Pocket Quilt series), it releases on June 30, 2021, and buy links will be posted on Laurie’s site at www.lauriestroupsmith.com when available. Read on for a brief intro:

Two years after exchanging her first love letters with Gideon Petersheim, Dixie Yoder tucks his notes into her pocket quilt and travels from Pinecraft to Holmes County, hopeful for a future together…

Upon her arrival, their relationship blossoms until the auctioneer has surgery to remove a cyst from his vocal cords. Complications from the procedure interfere with his healing, leaving him searching for his passions and purpose. Instead of leaning on Dixie through this tough time, he pushes her away and turns his back on God. Frustrated and heartbroken, she is torn between staying in Ohio with the new friends she has grown to love and packing her bags. Having lost everything, he must fight his way back to her, but his apology is long overdue. Only a grand gesture to show her how much she means to him will cause her to pause and reconsider.

And if you want to read the first book in the series, Pockets of Promise, you can find it here:

Keep reading!

Shaen

*Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash