Sunday, April 3, 2011

Giveaway and Author Interview: Something Stirs

Welcome to Writing for Christ Thomas Smith, it is great to have you here! Do you have an interesting fact about yourself the average reader probably doesn’t know?

      Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to hang out with you and meet your readers.

      I guess the thing most people don’t know about me is that my comedy material has been performed on The Tonight Show.

What surprised you the most about being a published author?
      You mean other than the fact I could actually do it? The thing that has really surprised me is just how close knit the writing community is. For example, people I once admired and knew only through the shelves at my favorite bookstores are now colleagues and friends. Some have become very good friends.

Do you have a favorite genre to read/write?
      I enjoy suspense and horror. Not the blood-and-guts-splattered-all-over-the-room kind, but what has been termed “Quiet Horror.” I love a story that makes the setting as much a character as the people (and other “things”) that inhabit the story. In fact, a friend recently said, “You are going to be pegged as a Christian horror writer if you’re not careful,” to which I replied, “That works for me.”
When you aren’t writing or interacting with fans, what do you enjoy doing?
      I enjoy traveling with my wife, gem mining, and playing guitar with the praise band at my church.

Do you have a nugget of writing advice that has completely changed how you view writing?
      Writing is equal parts passion and discipline. It has very little to do with inspiration, art, waiting for the muse or those sorts of things. The actual doing -- writing, thinking, plotting and editing -- that’s what fuels the writing process. The information and inspiration already live within each of us. And as we write, the writing takes on a life of its own. It’s like the long “begat” sections in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 (“Abraham begat Isaac...” etc.). The first sentence begat the second sentence, the second sentence begat the third sentence and so on. In short, the act of writing inspires writing. But it’s not just mechanics. Without the passion for the process, the discipline won’t come.

What do you enjoy most about being a published author?
      I love both the process of writing and the fact that I am living my dream. I have wanted to be a writer since I was in the third grade. In fact, my first novel was about Fluffy the Kitten. It was a massive four pages long!
What do you like readers to take away from your books?
      Even in our brokenness there is redemption. There is a God who loves us and wants to restore us to Himself.
Places for readers to learn more about you?
      You can go to my web site (www.thomassmithonline.com), the book web site (www.somethingstirs.com), my Facebook page (http://profile.to/thomassmithwriting) or you could ask my mother. She has dozens of embarrassing stories to share.
Thank you for being with us today!
      Thank you. It has been my pleasure.
Okay readers, here is your chance to enter to win Thomas's book!

Please leave an email address. If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win!

For extra entries:
~Be a follower
~Be a subscriber

An EXTRA one:
Follow me on Twitter OR Facebook (it's up to you. Links are in the left-hand sidebar :-)

Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.

Thanks for coming by to enter! Contest ends on April 15th.

33 comments:

  1. Great giveaway!!!

    GFC follower

    vidishamun@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am a follower and email subscriber.Please enter me in contest. I would love to read your book. It sounds very good. Tore923@aol.com

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  3. Interesting interview! I went to the Something Stirs web page to read more about this book. I have a very dear friend who describes events at the home she grew up in that sound much like the home has an evil spirit dwelling there. I would be very interested to read Something Stirs. Thanks for the opportunity!

    janmarien[at]embarqmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am a follower via GFC.

    janmarien[at]embarqmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am a subscriber to this blog.

    janmarien[at]embarqmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have submitted a request to follow on Facebook.

    janmarien[at]embarqmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I visited the website for Something Stirs. The house reminds me of a house I lived in for 15 years (age 10 to 25). We had a friendly spirit living in one bedroom. We could never walk in or out and leave the door open as it would always close on its own. We couldn't put anything in the room that the spirit didn't like or it would end up being tossed on the floor or thrown against the wall. We finally used the room only to "iron" in. When we finally sold the house the new owners took out one wall of the bedroom to enlarge the dining area and I don't know what happened but they soon put the house back on the market.

    I would love to be entered to win a copy of Something Stirs. Thank you for the chance.

    I am a GFC follower.

    I am an email subscriber.

    Smiles & Blessings,
    Cindy W.

    countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I read my first Christian horror about three months ago. It still hangs with me. I would love to win this one. Please enter me. Thanks.
    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm a follower.

    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm a subscriber.

    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now following you on Twitter.

    desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. That was a great interview Casey.

    crazi.swans at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. would enjoy reading this novel...thanks for the chance :)

    i'm a follower
    i'm a email subscriber, too

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. looks like a great book

    msudawgtoo[at]comsouth[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm a GFC follower and subscriber!! ^_^

    hiu_an(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Please enter me in the drawing would love to read the3 book.

    dancealert at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm a subscriber by email
    dancealert at aol dot com

    I am also following - GFC
    DanceAlert or Brenda Rupp

    ReplyDelete
  18. I can't read creepy, not like this...totally creeps me out and I wouldn't sleep for days. But my 16 yr old son loves this kind of book. So, I am entering for him :)

    homesteading[at]charter[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  19. I'm a follower.

    homesteading[at]charter[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  20. and a subscriber.

    homesteading[at]charter[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  21. plus a pal on FB :)

    homesteading[at]charter[dot]net

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  22. Casey, thanks for a great interview. And thanks to everyone else for the very kind comments. Just as soon as the book is released (it's next in line at the publishing house), the copy will be headed to the winner. Thanks again!
    Thomas Smith
    Author of Something Stirs

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  23. I'd love to win.

    I'm a follower :)

    Ann_Lee_Miller@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. I would love to read this book.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. thank you for the chance!
    junegirl26 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  26. would love to win this book'
    iam a follower.wlworkman60[at]gmail[dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  27. Just joined your feed. Love the opportunity to explore new books and authors. Thanks for the chance to win one.
    Carrie

    happyasalarks at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I would enjoy reading this. Thanks!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  29. I would like to win this book! Thanks for the chance.

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  30. GFC Follower

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  31. email subscriber

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  32. I follow you on Twitter
    @NancyeDavis

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  33. Great story! I would love to read it again. :)

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Thank you so much for stopping by, I love to hear from those who traffic my blog! Have a wonderful day. :)