Our guest today is Lynda Lee Schab. Lynda is a freelance writer and author of Mind over Madi and Madily in Love, the first two books in the 3-book Madi Series, published by Oak Tara. She lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan. Lynda has graciously agreed to have a giveaway of Madily in Love to one of our current subscribers.

JO: Please tell us a little about yourself.

LYNDA: Oh, boy. That's a loaded question. Okay, well, I've been married for over 24 years and have two teenagers, who keep me young and give me gray hair at the same time. I've been writing for as long as I can remember, and my first sale was a greeting card for Blue Mountain Arts. Besides working on my novels, I work behind the scenes for FaithWriters.com, am a staff writer for SharedSorrows.com, and a regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com. Last year, I also had the privilege of co-writing our church's Christmas production, How Christmas Saved the Grinch, which was attended by more than 14,000 people. We're doing it again this year and expect over 20,000! Got lots of pots and pans on the stove, which is overwhelming sometimes, but I love it. God has opened many doors for me along the way and I'm so grateful.

JO: What fun or unique things can you tell us about yourself that we don't know?

JO: Please describe yourself with three words.

LYNDA: Sensitive, easy-going, real  

JO: What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

When I'm not working, you can find me at the mall, the movies with my refillable bucket of popcorn, or at my local Biggby, having coffee with friends.

JO: Where do you write? Do you have a dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?

LYNDA: Although sometimes I sit at the kitchen counter, my main "office" is my living room recliner. I used to have a real office, but it's been converted into my daughter's bedroom. All of my files, papers, and junk are in her old bedroom, located in my daylight basement. But working down there is too depressing. I need to be upstairs where all the action (and the light) is.

JO: Do you always know the title of your books before you write them?  

LYNDA: So far, I've chosen my titles before writing the story. I love coming up with titles, captions, slogans. It's one of my favorite parts of the writing process.

JO: Please tell us about Madily in Love.

JO: What takeaway value do you hope your readers receive after reading this book?

LYNDA: Although this book has to do with the importance (and fun) of adding romance to marriage, the main thing I hope readers can take away is that even though life seems unmanageable, disorderly, and chaotic, God is always in control. One of the recurring phrases throughout the book--as mentioned by Madi's counselor--is "Embrace this place." In other words, no matter what you're going through, recognize that it won't last forever. And down the road, you might just look back and see just how that "unbearable" season was essential in moving you to a place of growth and necessary change.

JO: Where did you get the idea for your book?

LYNDA: Not much. I did consult my cousins who live in South Haven, where The Madi Series is set, just to get a few details. Not everything mentioned is a real place in south Haven, but many are, so I wanted to get the facts straight.

JO: How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?

LYNDA: I've always loved to read, which seems to be a precursor for all writers. I don't remember exactly when I picked up a pen and started to write, but I remember writing a story in 6^th grade called The Summer I Went to Honolulu (no, I'd never been there - and still haven't!), complete with caricature drawings. I moved on to writing plays for my cousins and me to perform for our parents, then tried my hand at poetry. In high school, it was all about poetry - some of it was pretty good, but some was very, very bad. I still love to write poetry, but prefer to create funny, rhyming poems for retirement parties, milestone birthdays, bridal or baby showers, and other fun occasions.

I acquired my agent in 2010, and my first book was published in November 2011.

JO: What advice would you give to writers who have been writing a few years but still haven't interested an agent or publisher in their novel?

LYNDA: Don't give up! And really meditate on the fact that God's timing is rarely in sync with our own.

JO: What are you working on now?

LYNDA: I am currently working on Sylvie & Gold, the 3^rd and final book in the Madi series, due out in the fall of 2013. Madi's best friend Sylvie is preparing for her wedding (and if you've read Mind over Madi, you know who she's marrying). With just a few weeks before the wedding, Sylvie is dealing with a lot: Her meddling and feisty soon-to-be mother-in-law, her son's sexting issue, planning her mom's sixtieth birthday party, and her fiance's ex-wife, who has come back to town after a seven-year absence. Sylvie is normally pretty calm and collected. But her stress card is quickly getting maxed out. The question is whether she'll completely lose her cool or find the happily-ever-after she longs for.

JO: What advice would you give to writers just starting out?

LYNDA: Focus on building your platform. Regularly maintain a blog, actively participate in social networking sites, publish articles, speak to women's groups, connect with as many people as possible and get your name out there. Because the world of publishing has changed so much with this electronic age, and authors are doing much of their own marketing, platform has never been as important as it is today. If publishers take a chance on a new author, they want to know you already have a bunch of people who will buy your book. Of course, in between all of that platform-building, remember to write!

JO: Please tell our readers where they can get your book.

LYNDA: I am offering signed copies at a discount on my website http://www.lyndaschab.com and you can purchase a copy through my publisher's site http://oaktara.com. It's also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other places online. If you live in the Grand Rapids area, you'll find my books on the shelves of Schuler Books and Music, Kregel Parable, and Baker Books. Other than that, you may or may not find them at bookstores, but if not, you are able to order from any bookseller in the country.

JO: Please tell our readers where they can find you online.

I have a website and a blog (www.On-the-write-track.blogspot.com). I am also on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and LinkedIn.

Thank you Lynda for an  interesting interview and giving insight to you and your writing. Lynda is giving a copy of Madily in Love, which one current subscriber will win. Thank you, Lynda.