Interview with Trish Perry

On the first day of my first writers’ conference, I wandered into the hotel feeling a bit lost. A couple hours later, I found myself eating a late lunch and chatting with Cathy, my critique partner and Trish Perry, a Harvest House author. Trish sold out of her debut novel at the conference, so I had to pick it up elsewhere. Believe me, it was worth the extra effort. So, without further ado, let me introduce you my sweet friend, Trish Perry.

JW: Hey, Trish. Thanks so much for letting me interview you. My first question is the typical one: How did you get into writing?

TP: Without taking much note of it, I dabbled in writing as far back as elementary school. A poem here, a short story there. But I was so far from being self-aware, I didn’t pay attention to how much I enjoyed myself when I wrote. I swear, sometimes it seems I walked around in a child-shaped fog for most of my childhood. Many years later, when I worked on my Psychology degree in college, I was a tad sharper. When assigned creative writing projects in my required English courses, I finally noticed how much fun I was having. I took as many creative writing courses as I could after that, and by the time I earned my degree, I had changed my mind about what I wanted to do!

JW: Psychology, huh? Guess I won’t tell you about my crazy dreams next time we meet. I’m sure they mean something, but I’d rather not know. So, moving right along. Do you have a specific purpose for writing? Besides, of course, the rich and famous aspect. Ha.

TP: Too late, Jenness—I’m already keeping a file on your psychological quirks, LOL! Writing is just my favorite thing to do. I know the Lord gave me this as my gift, because He blesses me with such pleasure while I’m doing it. I might balk at parts of the process from time to time, but I can’t imagine ever walking away. I don’t think I’ve spent a day not writing something since those days in college. Another assurance God gives me about His will is that readers write to me and tell me how positively my books have affected them. What a fantastic blessing and honor.

JW: I know what you mean. Especially the balking part. (Can anyone say “revising?”) So where and how do you work your magic?

TP: When my daughter left for college years ago, I turned her bedroom into my office. Ah! Seclusion! I love it. But the place is a total mess, with papers everywhere. That’s why it took me so long to get around to answering your questions, Jenness! I need a secretary, and she needs a whip. My routine depends upon my deadlines, I’m sorry to say. I think that particular character facet (flaw?) runs in my family, because my older brother actually composes some of the seminar talks he gives while flying to the seminars.

JW: And I thought I was a procrastinator. Wow.

TP: If I’m given six months to write a book, I’ll take six months. If pressed to produce more quickly, I manage to prioritize and get it done. But I have yet to develop the discipline of someone like Colleen Coble, who writes a chapter a day, I think. People like Colleen are my inspiration. I hope to become that productive with time. And a whip.

JW: How do you get the ideas for your stories?

TP: That always varies. Kara’s story (The Guy I’m Not Dating) came about because of a young woman I met who had originally lived with her boyfriend. He found Christ and broke off their relationship. She was devastated. Later, she accepted Christ, and in time she and her old boyfriend became friends. Eventually the friends committed to a courtship, rather than a dating relationship. I think they’re married now. I liked the story and humor potential in the nondating approach to romance, so that was my idea there.

For the follow-up story, Too Good to Be True, I knew some of the character relationships I wanted to work with—particularly between the heroine and her mother. And I knew I wanted humor and romance. I simply let that germ of an idea cook in my imagination for a while, and characters and incidents started to fall together.

Another book I’m working on, set in Washington, D.C., is based on completely new characters. Part of the D.C. story actually emerged during a dream.

JW: Speaking of dreams…Ha!

TP: Excuse me just a moment. I need to make a few notes in your file.

The overall concept of the D. C. book came from my editor at Harvest House. You see, in Too Good to Be True, the heroine—Ren—reads a book that doesn’t really exist. We decided it would be fun if I actually wrote the book that Ren reads in Too Good to Be True.

JW: That is too cool! Sounds great.

TP: Future projects being discussed would be influenced by setting (a West Coast beach story), audience (a young adult romance), and theme (a series of five loosely tied stories).

I can’t say too much about it yet, but I’m excited about the beach story possibilities. I might end up wedding a couple of my characters from The Guy I’m Not Dating and Too Good to Be True with this new undertaking, but that’s just a thought right now. I’d love prayers for clarity on that one!

JW: Sounds like you have lots of ideas. I’m looking forward to reading the finished products! Which reminds me…My husband came into the room where I was reading The Guy I’m Not Dating, and he just stopped and laughed at me. When I asked him why, he said the book must be good, because I was smirking at it. Well, he was right. It was a great book, and I was wondering if some of the crazy incidents in your books are based on real-life? If so, care to expound?

TP: Actually, I based Mo and Stan’s skunk incident on personal experience. But Kara’s circumstances are all fictional. I’m not saying I’m the picture of grace, but I think I’ve fared a bit better than Kara has, accident-wise. I do pay attention, though, to embarrassing things that happen in my life, and I make note of them for future heroines. Don’t you find it’s easier to laugh off your foibles when you know you can use them for fodder? I do.

JW: Okay, here’s my favorite question, or at least the one about favorites…(Courtesy laugh, please.) List some of your favorite things, doesn’t matter what. Food, hobby, author, book, verse…

TP: I love all food except cooked celery and lima beans. That’s kind of scary, isn’t it? Imagine the possibilities in being so readily pleased. Oh, and okra. Take that one off the list, too. Way too mushy. My favorite pastimes are reading and watching movies. (Wow—aren’t you picturing me sitting in front of the TV, eating everything except celery, lima beans, and okra? What a lump!)

JW: Well, I didn’t want to say anything…Just kidding!

TP: I don’t have a favorite author, but I love many of them (both Christian and secular), including Lisa Samson, Francine Rivers, Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Weiner—oh, I have to stop. I can’t even begin to list them all. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:3, and although I’m an NIV gal, I like this one in the KJV: “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Isn’t that a great verse for an author? I first noticed that in one of Jan Karon’s books.

JW: You’re right. The writing (and revising) goes so much better when we turn it over to God. (Which I keep having to remind myself.) One last question. Well, actually two. I would love to hear two bits of random advice—one writing-related and one not.

TP: Writing related: I’ve shared this one before, in several places, not because I can’t think of other advice—do any of us lack advice we’d like to hand out? But this revelation felt like such a gift from God when I was feeling doubtful, I know He wants me to share it often.
Shortly after my first book was released, I suddenly felt a wave of doubt about the whole shebang—my future in writing, my abilities, even whether or not God truly meant for me to be doing this. The experience was a bit like buyer’s remorse, you know? And I feared that I might learn God’s will about my writing by failing miserably. By having family and friends read my books and wonder how in the world I got published in the first place. By having my books horribly reviewed. By never getting another contract in my life. I knew these thoughts were coming from a baaaaaad place, so I stopped stressing and prayed. Very quickly the Lord impressed upon me the fact that He is not a God of discouragement. I realized He would never use rejection to make me quit writing. He hadn’t used rejection to get me here; He had blessed quite a few other endeavors of mine. Yet He drew me to writing. He appreciates our efforts to glorify Him; He’s not going to stomp on them.

So my advice about writing is to pursue it as long as you feel drawn to do it. When you receive a rejection, don’t consider it God’s way of forcing you to give up. If He wants you to do something else for Him, He’ll draw you to that other thing. That’s the way our God works.

Non-writing related advice: If you must read in the tub, make sure the book is riveting or you are well energized. Books get so puffy after they’ve been dipped in bathwater.

JW: Ha! Been there, done that. Great advice Trish, on both counts. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to reading another book of yours soon, even if my husband does make fun of me for smirking.

To learn more about Trish and her books, check out her website at http://www.trishperrybooks.com/.

(Originally posted 8-5-07)