Meet Cecelia Dowdy - Interview & Book Giveaway

A big welcome to Cecelia Dowdy, author of John’s Quest part of the Heartsong Presents line from Barbour. Let’s meet Cecilia!

THE BIO

Cecelia Dowdy is a world traveler who has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember. When she first read Christian fiction, she felt called to write for the genre.

She loves to read, write, and bake desserts in her spare time. She also loves spending time with her husband and her toddler son. Currently she resides with her family in Maryland. You can visit Cecelia on her websites: www.ceceliadowdy.com and www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com.

THE INTERVIEW

JA: Your latest book is John’s Quest from Heartsong Presents. What’s it about?
CD: John French, a science professor, is an agnostic--he’s unsure if God exists. When he’s hired to tutor a blind seven-year-old child, Scotty, he finds himself falling for the child’s beautiful aunt/guardian, Monica Crawford. Monica’s life changes drastically when her irresponsible younger sister abandons her handicapped son on her doorstep. As John helps Monica to educate her nephew, he falls in love with her. However, problems arise when Monica, a devout Christian, finds herself drawn to Scotty’s handsome and intelligent tutor. Monica finds herself in a bind because she knows it’s a sin to be unequally yoked with a non-believer. How in the world can these two lovebirds overcome the huge problems that stand in the way of their relationship?

JA: Your hero, John, is agnostic and the heroine, Monica, is Christian. What particular challenges did this relationship present?
CD: His being an agnostic created a very strong challenge with their relationship. Monica is a strong Christian and she knows how the Lord feels about being unequally yoked with a non-believer. Yet, John’s and Monica’s attraction continues to grow, yet they know they can’t be together romantically. It creates an interesting and strong conflict in the novel.

JA: Monica is hired to tutor seven-year-old Scotty, who is blind. What kind of research did you need to do for this aspect of the story?
CD: My husband is totally blind, so I’ve had a lot of experience in dealing with a blind person.

JA: What do you hope people take away when they finish reading John’s Quest?
CD: I hope their faith in God is strengthened when they read my story.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
CD: Currently, I’m on a deadline for my next novel, Milk Money. Here’s the tentative back cover copy for that novel:

Running a dairy farm is a big job, but doing it alone is almost impossible.

When her dad dies, Emily must work hard to save the family farm, but she manages. Until the day the CPA pulls in her drive and announces he’s there to do an audit on the place.

Franklin Reese is appalled at the lack of interest the Cooper women have in the financial end of their livelihood, but he dives in, determined to help them learn. The further he looks into Mr. Cooper’s dealings, however, the more uncomfortable he becomes.

Can he uncover the truth of the situation and still earn the love of the amazing Emily Cooper? Will issues in Franklin’s own life keep them apart, even after the farm is taken care of? Only God can heal hurting hearts and repair broken lives. Will these two let Him in?

JA: You are very well traveled. Of all the places you’ve visited, which is your favorite?
CD: I love any tropical place with a nice beach with clear blue water! Places like Tahiti, parts of Mexico, and the Cayman Islands are my favorites.

JA: What’s your favorite thing to read for pure enjoyment?
CD: Just about any type of Christian fiction. Although, I tend to prefer Christian women’s fiction and Christian romance novels.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
CD: Through my blog and website. I’m always updating both sites with my latest release news! www.ceceliadowdy.com and www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com.

Thanks for visiting with us, Cecelia. May God continue to bless you in your writing journey!

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of John’s Quest just leave a reply to this blog. I’ll combine the responses of my Blogger and ShoutLife blogs to pick a winner at random on May 21st. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) ShoutLifers will be contacted via ShoutMail. Good luck!