Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Author Leanna Ellis

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing
Once in a Blue Moon
B&H Books (March 1, 2010)
by Leanna Ellis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Leanna's sister recommended that she write, since she ‘wrote in her journal all the time.’ The idea took root and began to grow. So after five years of teaching, she quit and started writing, with no clue about the book business. Ignorance is bliss. If she’d known the odds against her, she might not have ever started writing.

For about three years, she wrote with a collaborator, but because she had so many ideas she began to write more stories on her own. She suffered numerous rejections. Deservedly so. But she was growing as a writer and learning. She went to as many conferences as she could manage. During that time, she met her future husband, fell in love and became engaged. She also began to final in contests and then actually began to win! The contests helped her get noticed by editors and agents. In March, the year Braveheart won the Best Picture Oscar, Victor/Victoria opened on Broadway, she sold her first book. It was her Cinderella year. She sold her book, got married and won RWA’s Golden Heart Award in Hawaii.

She wrote six books between her first baby’s birth and when the second baby turned one. Then she hit a wall. Not literally. But creatively. It’s not that she didn’t have any ideas, but her ideas didn’t fit the romance market. These new characters, random and weird as they were, began to take over the part of her brain that wasn’t domesticated. These stories were about all types of women, and so she began to let her writing grow in new and different ways.

Leanna Ellis sold more than 1.3 million romantic novels writing as Leanna Wilson, winning a Readers’ Choice award and the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award for her work. Elvis Takes a Back Seat is the first book published under her married name, marking a new creative direction in her writing. Like Francine Rivers before her, Leanna has left behind a successful career as an author of secular romances to write novels of faith that glorify God. A former schoolteacher, Leanna is now a homeschool mom and lives with her husband and children in Keller, Texas.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Bryn Seymour was nine years old when her mother died under mysterious circumstances on the same day Apollo 11 made its historic lunar landing. Forty years later—divorced, working as an obituary writer, and duly cynical—she meets Howard, a conspiracy theorist who knew her mom and believes a small Texas town may hold clues to what really fueled her demise. Seeking closure, Bryn goes along for this men-in-black ride. But upon meeting Howard’s son Sam, an outspoken Christian, she can’t decide whose beliefs are more pie-in-the-sky.

The gravity of life has pulled Bryn down for decades. But a perfect love could be her first step to soaring. It only happens once in a blue moon.

The book link is: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805449884


15 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Wow...what a productive writer! And she was good to continue on in the face of rejection. Interesting-sounding book, too.

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Creative Chronicler said...

Sounds intriguing.

JournoMich said...

Oooh, what a life! I love that she didn't let the "wall" stop her, she simply turned the corner. Inspiring to those of us on our way up! Thank you, Diane.

Michele
SouthernCityMysteries

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Determiniation is a big part of success!

B. Miller said...

What an inspiration! Thanks for posting about this dedicated writer.

Mason Canyon said...

Sounds like a great book. Always enjoy knowing something about the author before reading their work. Very inspiring, both the author's attitude and the book.

The Old Silly said...

Now that's productivity! I liked the synopsis, cover and trailer. sounds like a winner. :)

Marvin D Wilson

Elana Johnson said...

What an inspiration. Thanks for sharing this author with me.

Leanna Ellis said...

Hi, y'all! Thanks so much for your comments! Diane, thanks so much for showcasing Once in a Blue Moon here! I so appreciate it! Blessings to each of you!

Leanna

joe doaks-Author said...

The plot for Blue Moon sounds terrific, it could go so many places and in Leanna's skilled hands, I know it's headed somewhere great. Oh, liked the trailer, too.

Best Wishes, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

Leanne seems like a talented writer who has learned how to use her ideas in a productive manner and once in a Blue Moon sounds like a very interesting book.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Leanna, glad you could stop by!

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

Writing's great for people who want to stay home, kids or not! LOL.
Best,
Carolyn
Tweeting writing tips @frugalbookpromo

Jai Joshi said...

Glad to learn about this author, Diane. Thanks!

Jai

Kelley said...

sounds great. Thanks for sharing!
KelleyKremer