Spotlight on Trish Perry

I am so happy to spotlight Trish Perry. She is the author of The Guy I'm Not Dating, Too Good to be True and her current novel Beach Dreams.
If you have not read one of her novels you are in for a treat. Her humor abounds in the novels leaving you laughing out loud. Lets get to know her a little better shall we!
You can learn more about Trish at her website, http://www.trishperrybooks.com
Download a sample.

Trish, please tell us a little about you.

I live a wonderful life in Northern Virginia with my hilarious teenaged son, and I have a fascinating adult daughter and completely lovable grandson. I started writing seriously about 14 years ago, while I was working on my Psychology degree—had a little change in plans there, since I thought I was going to go to grad school and become a counselor. The Lord showed me otherwise, and I’m thrilled I happened to be paying attention at the time!

What was the best gift you have ever received?

I’m going to answer practically (rather than talking about the gifts of salvation, children, etc.) It’s still difficult to narrow it down to one gift. But I’ll try. Eight years ago my 21-year-old daughter gave me a journal, at the front of which she wrote about how this “crazy woman” had come to know God. She posted pictures from my past, her childhood, and our current life and family, making lighthearted fun of everything, even while saying sweet things about how God managed to touch each one of us in turn. The last thing she wrote was a more serious message, the end of which said, “So as a mother, I literally owe you my life—but as an unbelievable example, I owe you more than I could ever put into words. I love you so much—my closest friend—my mom.”

It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Trish, do you have a favorite novel that you have written? I know it is sort of like asking you which child is your favorite.

Funny, I think my favorite is the one that gets the least attention (maybe also like a mom and a child, eh?). Regardless of when they were released, Too Good to Be True was my first humorous novel, and it’s the one I most enjoyed writing, so far. If I go back and read my books, I’m not sure if I’ll still feel that way, but I had just finished writing a much darker novel, and writing TGTBT was so freeing and fun.

What did you do to celebrate selling your novel?

Jumped around like a lunatic, called my closest friends and family members, and probably got together with some of them and ate a boatload of stuff I shouldn’t have. I don’t remember. I simply remember feeling like I was about to step onto a remote planet, with no idea what to expect. It was so disorienting and fantastic. My hairdresser put it in such excellent perspective the other day. She said, “You know how we all have our dreams of what we’d love to be able to do someday? Do you ever stop and realize: Hey, I’m doing it!” That’s what I felt when I sold that first novel.

Trish, please tell us a little about Beach Dreams

Beach Dreams is about former bad girl, Tiffany LeBoeuf, who has just lost her mother to cancer and who got fired from her job for the time she spent away nursing her dying mother. Oh, and she has zero love life. The one bright star in her life is her new-found faith and the friends who guided her there.

At the suggestion of one of those friends, Tiff heads to a little beach house in San Diego, intent upon regrouping and relaxing. But a scheduling mix-up leads to Tiff’s interaction with people and experiences she never anticipated. She learns about patience, forgiveness, and love during her two-week “adventure.”

As the back cover says, the book tells the touching and humorous story about how God uses even our mistakes to bring about His divine purposes.

What do you enjoy most about writing Christian fiction?

I’m ecstatic whenever I realize God used me to touch someone in a way I couldn’t have otherwise. When I write these stories, I’m just counting on Him for guidance. And then I get these notes from readers that blow me away—He has actually used my words to encourage others! Sometimes a reader tells me she walked into a bookstore, said a prayer, and picked up my book, which showed her exactly what she needed to see about a given situation. The other day I got a message from a wonderful young girl who previously read vampire novels and such. She was excited about the change that was happening in her reading habits. Awesome stuff!

What would like readers to take away from Beach Dreams?

I would like them to feel that it’s never too late to turn to God for guidance. And to understand that sometimes we don’t see situations or people’s opinions exactly as they truly are. We really need to lean on God and wait for His direction in our lives and the lives of those around us. Otherwise, we sometimes get in the way of His blessings.

Okay for a little fun if you were a candy bar what would you be? Why?

Hmm. I had to look up some candy bar names for this one. I kind of identify with Chuckles, because they’re jelly-like, and I’m not at my most firm these days. (Hey, at least I didn’t choose Chunky.) But I also like the name Chuckles, because laughing is one of my favorite things to do.

Do you have any advice for novice or aspiring writers?

I say this all the time. Give your work to the Lord at the start of every day, and anytime it occurs to you to give it to Him again. We face plenty of rejection in this field, and it’s important to always remember you’re working to honor Him and follow His lead. So when you wonder if you’re being rejected because He doesn’t want you writing, you can tell yourself, “Self? Are you nuts? Didn’t you give this work to Him just this morning? Do you really think He’s going to kick sand in your face when your aim is to honor Him?” Rather, if He wants you doing something other than writing, He’ll simply guide you to it, lovingly. Why? Because you’ve given your work to Him, no matter what it is. He’ll never guide you by crushing you.

Trish, can you tell us what you are working on now.

I’m writing the next book for The Beach House Series, which I believe will be titled Sunset Beach. It’s scheduled for a June 2009 release, and it involves an entirely new cast of characters. I’m loving getting to know them and watching them interact. The book will contain humor, romance, and quite a few surprises.

Thank you so much for stopping by you are such a fun author.Do you have any last words? Where can readers find you?

Wow, sounds like I’m about to stand before a firing squad!

Last words: God knows what’s coming next. You’re just plain out of your mind if you ignore Him.

Readers can find me at my website/blog at http://www.trishperry.com/ I love visitors, and we have book give-aways at least once a week. Come see!

Tomorrow I will give my two cents about Beach Dreams. If you would like to win a copy of Beach Dreams please leave a comment. Check back tomorrow to find out about a contest that Trish is putting on!