Giveaway! The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron

Welcome to Writing for Christ Kristy Cambron, it is great to have you here!

Hi Casey – Wow, am I glad to be here! These first interviews as an official author have been a long time coming. :-)

So you’re a writer? What made you decide to start creating characters and story world?

This question doesn’t have a straightforward answer. I’ve always loved story, that’s true. In fact, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a Disney animator. I used to go to the library and sit on the floor in the art section, surrounded by art history books. I think this dream really started then, but I had no idea what to do with it. Fast-forward to college and the moment I stepped into my first Art History classroom and I was hooked on tying stories to what I loved.

What is the one title that has significantly impacted your life?

Without question – the Bible. But if I had to pick a book outside of The Word, it would have to be Night by Elie Wiesel. It’s a short but very heavy read, a non-fiction piece of true art written from the point of view of the author’s teenage self, and how he survived the horrors of Auschwitz. I admit that the first time I read it, I sobbed my way through to the back cover. Now, I read it at least once a year – not because it’s easy, but because it makes me consider the human condition. Who am I as a mother, a woman, a follower of Christ… and who would I be had I not met Him? It always makes me think how God grieves what we do to each other.

If you could get a do-over when it came to learning this whole thing called writing, what would you go back and tell yourself?

I actually wouldn’t change anything about my journey. I had some amazing highs (contest wins, contract offers) and some really tough lows (contest crash-and-burns, publishing rejections) along the way. And even though the rejections and those truly humbling moments managed to sting in the moment, I’m glad I experienced every one of them. They helped me to stay close to Christ along the journey, to remember why I write and to continually pray for the readers I hoped to have some day. They also kept me in a place of learning the craft of writing, which I am extremely grateful for. I would however, love to go back to 2011 and tell that younger version of me one thing: “You are not going to believe what God’s about to do in your life!” I never would have guessed that I’d be published by my dream publisher, and get the chance to have readers reach out and tell me they were blessed by the words I wrote. It’s the greatest kind of satisfaction an author can imagine, I’d wager!

5 preference questions:

Homemade or take-out? I think I love a good old-fashioned potluck where everyone brings their grandma’s best recipe, baked to perfection and just waiting for my plate and tummy to come along and enjoy it! (P.S. Please bring Italian and dessert. You do that, and were are friends for life.)

Email or snailmail? Snailmail. I have a pen pal – we write letters back and forth a few times per month. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to open the mailbox and find something other than a bill or advertisement for a change.  

Online shopping or Black Friday deals? I’m not a great strategy shopper like many of those who venture out on Black Friday, so I always look for deals online. I know what brands I like and what will fit. I do most things on the go – including shopping. It works!

Books or movies? Both! Books first. Classic, 1930s-40s movies second. J

Note-taker or memorization? At last year’s ACFW Conference, I attended an amazing session presented by author James L. Rubart and Allen Arnold, former publisher for Thomas Nelson. It was so impactful that I took 17 pages of notes! I found them the other day and went right back to the awesome take-aways from that workshop because I’d taken notes like a mad woman. The truths I found there are still lifting me up.

Yes, I’m asking you to play favorites…which of your books is your favorite, published or unpublished? And if this is your debut novel, has your favorite been published yet?

Before we received a contract, I’d written nine novel-length manuscripts. I suppose I’m biased though, because The Butterfly and the Violin will always be special to me. It’s not just because it’s my debut novel (thought that’s a big part of it). I think it’s more because my entire family was wrapped up in this first book. An hour after our publishing contract came through, I received a call that my Dad may have leukemia. The larger part of the book was edited at our local cancer center while he was undergoing chemo. The remainder was edited in the weeks after he passed away. So when I say it’s special – that’s an understatement. It’s the book I’d always hoped to write and it’s the first and only one my Dad got to be a part of. It’s why I dedicated the book to him and why I will always praise God for giving us the journey together just in time.

Places for readers to learn more about you?

Any aspiring authors out there? If so, I’d love to hear from you. I’m another author who was walked the path to publication and am happy to encourage you along the way.

You can connect with Kristy at:

Twitter: @kcambronauthor – Facebook: Kristy L. Cambron – GoodReads: Kristy Cambron

Website: KristyCambron.com

Readers, enter to win Kristy's book here!

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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 July 25th

Attn Readers! If you're struggling to leave a comment on my blog, please email your comment entries (in ONE email) and I will submit it for you. But PLEASE only do this after you've failed to leave a comment. My email is: caseym.writer(@)gmail.com