Welcome Christi Corbett to Genuine Jenn, we are super excited to have you on Author Spotlight Saturday!
First, I’d like to give a big thank you to Genuine Jenn! I truly appreciate her sharing her readers with me, and allowing me to share news of my debut novel, Along the Way Home.
Tell us a little bit about your book(s) and yourself.
About my Book:
They lost everything but their dreams on the Oregon Trail…
Kate Davis is intrigued when her father reveals his dream of starting a horse ranch in Oregon Territory. Settlers out west value a strong woman, and though she manages the financials of her father’s mercantile her competence earns her ridicule, not respect, from Virginia’s elite society.
Jake Fitzpatrick, an experienced trail guide, wants land out west to raise cattle and crops. But dreams require money and he’s eating dandelion greens for dinner. So when a wealthy businessman offers double wages to guide his family across the Oregon Trail, Jake accepts with one stipulation—he is in complete control.
Departure day finds Kate clinging to her possessions as Jake demands she abandon all he deems frivolous, including her deceased mother’s heirlooms. Jake stands firm, refusing to let the whims of a headstrong woman jeopardize the wages he so desperately needs—even a beautiful one with fiery green eyes and a temper to match.
Trail life is a battle of wills between them until tragedy strikes, leaving Jake with an honor-bound promise to protect her from harm and Kate with a monumental choice—go back to everything she’s ever known or toward everything she’s ever wanted?
About Me:
I was born and raised in Marysville, Washington, a town about 30 miles north of Seattle. I graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Communications. My first job brought me to Green Bay, Wisconsin where I was the editor for the 5pm, 6pm, and 10pm newscasts. Then I got married and I took a job in the Creative Services Department for the CBS affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota. I wrote television commercials and eventually ended up writing for a local, weekly show. It was great fun, but I left my career in television when I had our twins to stay at home and raise them. But during that time I kept writing what would eventually become my debut novel, Along the Way Home.
When was your first book published?
June 11, 2013 by Astraea Press.
Are you currently working on anything?
The sequel to Along the Way Home.
Who and what inspired you to write?
I got the idea for this book while on a cross-country road trip from Green Bay to Seattle with my fiancé (now husband). We were driving my 1992 Hyundai Excel (compact car) and the backseat and hatchback were loaded to the windows with all my worldly possessions. As an extra bonus, my husband is 6 feet 4 inches tall. Plus it’s February, and since the middle of winter in the Midwest is brutally cold we’re sporting layers of long underwear, flannel shirts, and puffy coats. We decided to take our time and stopped off at a number of landmarks, including Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, and Wall Drug.
By the time we reached the Montana border my hubby was ready to rip out the front seat and drive from the back one, and I was beyond bored. Around mid-Montana I started whining about how long it was taking, how there was nothing to do but sit, and how the scenery never changed. Then mid-complaint it hit me—we were traveling in one hour what would take nearly three days to accomplish in the 1800’s. (Recall we’d just come from Wall Drug in South Dakota so I think “the old times” were fresh on my mind.)
I whipped out my notebook and the ideas just started flowing. Soon I had pages and pages of notes and ideas about a possible book. Here’s the actual first line that started it all: A fantastic idea just occurred to me in light of the journey I have just taken…Occasionally I will pull out that same notebook to see how far I’ve come. (For starters, I learned using the same word twice in one sentence is a big no no.)
The descriptions for the two main characters are completely different from what Jake and Kate are now and there wasn’t one mention of a covered wagon or the Oregon Trail, but the basic idea was there. Make it about a man and a woman who travel west, each for their own reasons, to start a new life.
When you are writing do you like to listen to music? What is on your playlist?
I LOVE listening to music when I write. During the writing of Along the Way Home I played the soundtrack to the movie All the Pretty Horses on repeat. In addition, I listened to individual songs during certain scenes: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, Into Dust and Fade into You by Mazzy Star, Down Slow and Everloving by Moby, When a Woman Cries by Joe Cocker, and Once You Had Gold by Enya.
Do you ever take characteristics or nuances from close friends or family when working on character development and if so has that friend or family member noticed and what was their response to it?
I’ll deny this one to my grave :)
What is your favorite book of all time?
Gone with the Wind.
Tell us in one sentence why we should read your book.
The Oregon Trail is an important part of America’s history, and this fictionalized tale of travelers who were willing to abandon all they’d ever known for the promise of a better life gives the reader a historically accurate glimpse into our country’s past.
List your books that are available.
Along the Way Home is my debut novel, so right now that’s the only one I have available. Available on Amazon or Astraea Press
Where can people connect with you.
I was born and raised in Marysville, Washington, a town about 30 miles north of Seattle. I graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Communications. My first job brought me to Green Bay, Wisconsin where I was the editor for the 5pm, 6pm, and 10pm newscasts. Then I got married and I took a job in the Creative Services Department for the CBS affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota. I wrote television commercials and eventually ended up writing for a local, weekly show. It was great fun, but I left my career in television when I had our twins to stay at home and raise them. But during that time I kept writing what would eventually become my debut novel, Along the Way Home.
When was your first book published?
June 11, 2013 by Astraea Press.
Are you currently working on anything?
The sequel to Along the Way Home.
Who and what inspired you to write?
I got the idea for this book while on a cross-country road trip from Green Bay to Seattle with my fiancé (now husband). We were driving my 1992 Hyundai Excel (compact car) and the backseat and hatchback were loaded to the windows with all my worldly possessions. As an extra bonus, my husband is 6 feet 4 inches tall. Plus it’s February, and since the middle of winter in the Midwest is brutally cold we’re sporting layers of long underwear, flannel shirts, and puffy coats. We decided to take our time and stopped off at a number of landmarks, including Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, and Wall Drug.
By the time we reached the Montana border my hubby was ready to rip out the front seat and drive from the back one, and I was beyond bored. Around mid-Montana I started whining about how long it was taking, how there was nothing to do but sit, and how the scenery never changed. Then mid-complaint it hit me—we were traveling in one hour what would take nearly three days to accomplish in the 1800’s. (Recall we’d just come from Wall Drug in South Dakota so I think “the old times” were fresh on my mind.)
I whipped out my notebook and the ideas just started flowing. Soon I had pages and pages of notes and ideas about a possible book. Here’s the actual first line that started it all: A fantastic idea just occurred to me in light of the journey I have just taken…Occasionally I will pull out that same notebook to see how far I’ve come. (For starters, I learned using the same word twice in one sentence is a big no no.)
The descriptions for the two main characters are completely different from what Jake and Kate are now and there wasn’t one mention of a covered wagon or the Oregon Trail, but the basic idea was there. Make it about a man and a woman who travel west, each for their own reasons, to start a new life.
When you are writing do you like to listen to music? What is on your playlist?
I LOVE listening to music when I write. During the writing of Along the Way Home I played the soundtrack to the movie All the Pretty Horses on repeat. In addition, I listened to individual songs during certain scenes: Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, Into Dust and Fade into You by Mazzy Star, Down Slow and Everloving by Moby, When a Woman Cries by Joe Cocker, and Once You Had Gold by Enya.
Do you ever take characteristics or nuances from close friends or family when working on character development and if so has that friend or family member noticed and what was their response to it?
I’ll deny this one to my grave :)
What is your favorite book of all time?
Gone with the Wind.
Tell us in one sentence why we should read your book.
The Oregon Trail is an important part of America’s history, and this fictionalized tale of travelers who were willing to abandon all they’d ever known for the promise of a better life gives the reader a historically accurate glimpse into our country’s past.
List your books that are available.
Along the Way Home is my debut novel, so right now that’s the only one I have available. Available on Amazon or Astraea Press
Where can people connect with you.
When I’m not writing I love
chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the
following locations: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Email |
Thank you Christi for taking time out of your busy schedule to tell Genuine Jenn readers more about yourself and your debut novel!
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an author that would like to be featured on Author Spotlight Saturday or
have your book(s) reviewed on Genuine Jenn. Please fill out this form. Thank You!
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
Thank you so much for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteChristi Corbett
You're very welcome! Thanks for taking part Christi :)
DeleteChristi, you know I follow wherever you go. Great interview. This is the first I learned of your music play list. I believe that our taste in music reveals a great deal about our personality. This was very interesting. I do so look forward to the sequel ... keep on keeping on :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Florence!
DeleteNow that I think about it, I've never really discussed my writing playlist except for here so it was a really great question to ask.
How about you? Do you have a set playlist, or do you prefer silence while you write?
Christi Corbett
Thanks Florence for stopping by!
DeleteLovely to hear the history behind writing your book. Sounds like a lovely book, Christi. I prefer to write in silence but songs do inspire me when I'm plotting in my head.
ReplyDeleteKathleen,
DeleteAny songs in particular, or is it a genre that works for you (classical, jazz, etc...)?
Christi
Hi Kathleen thanks for stopping by! I like to write with music (mainly country or soft rock). It is always fun hearing everyone's playlists
Delete