Interview with Sharlene MacLaren
about "Courting Emma" and other works

Added June 6, 2008

Joyce: In the Library Reviews welcomes Sharlene MacLaren!

Courting Emma was a delight to read! It was wonderful to go back to Little Hickman and visit with "old friends".

How did the idea for this series develop?

Sharlene: "Emma" is the third and final installment in my Little Hickman Creek series. I introduced her in the first book, so her story sort of evolved as I wrote books one and two. She is a feisty character, a bit on the hardnosed side, and rebellious toward all things Christian. It is the handsome young preacher who moves into her boardinghouse who will eventually soften her around the edges and show Christ's love to her.

Joyce: Why did you place the story in an historical setting?

Sharlene: My daughter and son-in-law lived in Kentucky for about six years, so my husband and I drove down often to visit them. I fell in love with the beautiful, rolling, 'bluegrass' hillsides, white wood fences, and lovely farms. I began to imagine life in Kentucky in the late 1800s, and from there, my series took flight.

Joyce: Can you share with us your secret to developing such realistic characters?

Sharlene: It's difficult to explain how this happens except to say I love reading fiction with true-to-life characters, the kind that simply crawl into my heart and stay there. Since I love to read books whose characters appear so real to me, it stands to reason I would strive to write the same way. When someone tells me one of my stories brought her to tears, I'm thrilled. Not because I love making people cry (ha-ha), but because I'm achieving what I aim to do-reach into my readers' very core and touch their emotions.

Joyce: You've written many books, all of which have received favorable reviews. How did you start your writing career?

Sharlene: I've always enjoyed writing-but I didn't actually write my first novel until the year 2000. I was a couple of years away from retirement and already fretting about what I was going to do with myself. I pled with God to give me a new direction for my life, something that would fulfill me - as my teaching career had done. It started with a dream. I know that sounds "cliché-ish", but it's true. I dreamt I'd written a book. I thought the dream was odd, but after dreaming it three more times, I sat up, took notice, and thought, hmm, is God trying to tell me something? (Slow learner!) So, with much trepidation and an idea for a story floating around in my head, I sat at my computer one fine summer day in the year 2000 and started writing. Now, five pubbed books later, I'm going strong as ever! Praise God!

Joyce: After that last page is turned, what do you want readers to take away from your books?

Sharlene: My heartfelt, deepest prayer is that Christ will shine through my "feeble" words, that my readers will come to know Christ in a personal way. It's a humbling thought that Christ would choose to use me in this way, but it's my longing and desire.

Joyce: What are you working on now? Will you be inviting us back to Little Hickman or taking us somewhere else?

Sharlene: Currently, I'm working on my next 3-book historical series, which has a 1904-06 West Michigan setting. (I don't think we'll be going back to Little Hickman Creek.) It's titled The Daughters of Jacob Kane and will start releasing in January '09, the first in the series being Hannah Grace. ***But, don't miss my upcoming contemporary romance coming this September titled Long Journey Home.

Joyce: Thank you for answering my questions and for writing such wonderful books!

Sharlene: And thank you for inviting me! Please come visit me at any of these places: www.sharlenemaclaren.com
www.sharlenemaclaren.blogspot.com
www.shoutlife.com/sharlenemaclaren

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This page was last updated on June 6, 2008

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