Kathi Macias’ ongoing Quilt series tackles relevant social issues while
telling the stories of courageous American heroines. Kathi opens up to us about
the newest book in her series titled
The Singing Quilt and also shares her
advice to aspiring writers!
THIS IS NOVEL IS ESSENTIALLY A RETELLING OF THE STORY OF FANNY CROSBY WHO WAS A PROLIFIC MISSION WORKER AND HYMNIST DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS BLIND. HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR FANNY CROSBY’S STORY AND DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW YOU WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT IT?
I wasn’t raised in a Christian home so I didn’t hear of Fanny Crosby
until
soon after I became a believer in my mid-twenties. It never occurred
to me
to write a novel about her until my publisher and I decided to do
The Quilt
Series. Each of the three books in this series is a
contemporary-issues
story, told against the backdrop of a quilt that depicts the life of
a
courageous, faith-filled woman in American history. The Moses Quilt
is about
Harriet Tubman, The Doctor’s Christmas Quilt about Elizabeth
Blackwell (the
first woman doctor in America), and The Singing Quilt, about Fanny
Crosby.
THIS IS THE THIRD BOOK IN YOUR ‘QUILTS’ SERIES. WHAT ISSUE DOES THE SINGING QUILT APPROACH?
The Singing Quilt deals with two issues: a young woman with a
handicap–in
this case, a severe speech impediment, which she believes hinders
her from
pursuing the desires of her heart. It also deals with verbal abuse
from her
uncle, who raised her after her parents’ death in a car accident
years
earlier.
DID YOU WRITE THE SERIES TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE SOCIAL ISSUES PARTICULARLY OR DID THE SERIES COME TO YOU FIRST WITH THE THEME EMERGING LATER?
I actually thought of the series first–wanting to showcase women in
American history whose faith and courage made a difference, not only
in
their own lifetime but even today. I then chose the social issues
that I
believed would be a good fit for their lives.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOUR ‘QUILT’ SERIES?
At this point there are no more books planned for The Quilt Series.
However,
my 2014 Christmas Novel from New Hope Publishers, A Christmas Gift,
will
release this fall. It is about a woman who goes to a foreign country
to
teach English as a second language but ends up being kidnapped and
held for
ransom. Lots of adventure and excitement in this one!
YOU ARE GOING TO BE A JUDGE IN OUR UPCOMING SHORT-SHORT FICTION COMPETITION. CAN YOU TELL US PARTICULARLY WHAT YOU WILL BE LOOKING FOR WHILE YOU READ SUBMISSIONS?
I love stories that unfold through strong characters. Though
short-short
fiction doesn’t afford a lot of time or space to develop
characterization,
unique characters whom I can relate to early on will draw me into a
story
quicker than anything else.
WHAT’S YOUR BEST ADVICE TO ASPIRING WRITERS?
If you truly believe you have been gifted and called to write, then
pursue
it with all your heart. Don’t be discouraged by hindrances or
rejections. If
God has called you to write, then you are successful the minute you
step out
and do so.
Click HERE for more details on our upcoming short-short fiction
competition and Kathi could read your story!