All Madi Lee McCall wants is to fall madly in love again…with her husband.
After
a rough patch, Madi’s determined to get her marriage back on track.
She’s even taking a romance class at church and getting great
suggestions…that fail miserably. The distractions are plenty. She has
just reentered the workplace as a health spa receptionist. Her
16-year-old daughter, Christina, is pushing the limits, and Christina’s
twin, Max, has fallen hard for a girl who isn’t Madi’s picture of a
perfect match for her son. Even younger daughter, Emily, is developing a
teenager-ish attitude.
When her mother-in-law moves
in—temporarily, of course—the stress starts to drive Madi a little
crazier than normal. What she wants, more than anything, is some peace
among the chaos.
LYNDA
LEE SCHAB BIO
Lynda Lee Schab got
her writing start in greeting cards (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring) and from
there went on to write articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian
Home & School) and in many places online (including www.Examiner.com and www.wow-womenonwriting.com). As a
freelance writer, she works behind the scenes at FaithWriters.com and is a
regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com.
She is also the Grand Rapids Christian Fiction Examiner and the National
Writing Examiner for Examiner.com and a
staff writer for www.SharedSorrows.com.
Mind Over Madi placed second in the 2008 ACFW Genesis contest, chick lit
category, received a highly commended award in the FaithWriters Page Turner
contest, and was a finalist in the 2007 RWA Get your Stiletto in the Door
contest. Madily in Love was a semi-finalist in the 2011 ACFW Genesis
contest. Lynda admits she has a lot in common with the character of Madi. Not
only are they both addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games, they
struggle with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty
dose of God’s grace. Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in
Michigan.
MADILY IN
LOVE
ON
WRITING:
When and how did you get interested in writing?
I’ve
always loved to read, which seems to be a precursor for all writers. I don’t
remember exactly when I picked up a pen and started to write, but I remember
writing a story in 6th grade called The Summer I Went to Honolulu
(no, I’d never been there – and still haven’t!), complete with caricature
drawings. I moved on to writing plays for my cousins and me to perform for our
parents, then tried my hand at poetry. In high school, it was all about poetry – some of it was pretty
good, but some was very, very bad. I still love to write poetry, but prefer to
create funny, rhyming poems for retirement parties, milestone birthdays, bridal
or baby showers, and other fun occasions.
What was the first thing you ever had published?
Besides a
little blurb in a high school newsletter, my first professionally published
works were greeting cards for Blue Mountain Arts.
Who has encouraged you most on your writing
journey?
Definitely
my mom. She has always believed in me and encouraged me in my gift.
Professionally, one of my greatest earlier cheerleaders was Deb Porter,
administrator for FaithWriters.com. From the moment I joined FaithWriters in
2004, Deb spoke blessings and positivity into my life and motivated me more
than she’ll probably ever know. Another organization that has blessed me so
much is ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). Joining was the best thing
I’ve done for my writing career. A big shout-out to my fabulous critique
partner, Susan Miura, who has become a wonderful friend. And another shout-out
to Diane Loew, one of my besties here at home, who encourages me, supports me,
and brags about me to everyone she meets.
What is the writing process like for you?
I honestly
don’t have a process. I admire writers who can set word-count goals and stick
to them, but that’s just not me. It really just depends on the day. Of course,
deadlines are a huge motivator!
The main
thing that gets me writing is knowing where I’m going with the storyline. I
find that when I take the time to sit and think about what comes next, my
fingers fly much more effortlessly across the keyboard. When I’m stuck, I’m
much more likely to click on over to Facebook and play a few hands of Solitaire
Blitz. Self-discipline doesn’t come easy for me.
Is writing your only profession or do you have a
“day job?”
I am very
blessed to be able to stay home and do what I love: write! I maintain several
freelance jobs, all non-fiction, which sometimes takes the creative wind out of
my sails, but there’s nothing I’d rather do.
What is your favorite and least favorite part of
being a writer?
Favorite:
The creative process. Thinking a story through from beginning to end and then seeing
my vision come to life through the characters and situations I create.
Least
favorite: Definitely the self-discipline it requires. As I mentioned above, time
management is something I’ve always struggled with. Making myself sit down and
focus when I know the basement needs cleaning, laundry is piling up, my office
needs to be organized, or I want to watch the episode of Survivor I missed the
night before is my biggest challenge.
What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve
ever received?
That’s
easy: Apply the Butt Glue and just write. In spite of my battle with discipline,
that book won’t get written unless I park my behind in the chair and start
typing. Even when I don’t feel like it. Even when I have a million other things
to do. One of my favorite quotes on writing is “You can fix bad, but you can’t
fix blank.”
ON MADILY IN LOVE:
What is Madily in Love about? Tell us a little
about the plot.
Madi
McCall is just coming out of a marital rough patch (you’ll have to read Mind
over Madi for that whole story) and she’s trying to get her marriage back on
track. But that’s easier said than done, especially because her mother-in-law
has moved in, Madi’s recently started working again after years of being a
stay-at-home-mom, and her kids seem determined to do everything they can to
turn her hair even grayer than it already is. Madi attends a Revitalize Your
Marriage with Romance class at church and gets some great tips…that fail
miserably. All she wants is some peace among the chaos. And some quality time
with her husband would be nice, too.
How is Madi’s battle with chocolate cravings and
her addiction to computer Solitaire? Are those things still an issue for her or
has she gotten a handle on them?
Yes, well,
as long as Madi is a woman (which I don’t see changing any time soon),
chocolate will always be a battle. The Solitaire addiction doesn’t come up this
time around. But there are a couple of other issues that definitely require
Madi to continue her counseling sessions with Sarah Price.
Your publisher tagged this series as
“Delightful. Witty. Entertaining. Real. Poignant. Light-hearted Women’s Fiction
at its best.” Can you expand on that at all? How does the Madi Series live up
to this description?
While I
certainly hope my stories are delightful, witty, entertaining, and poignant, the
word in that description which I feel is most fitting of this series is,
“real.” Women can relate to Madi because she battles with the same things we
all do. No, not just chocolate, although that’s one of them! Madi has
insecurities that affect her relationships – with her husband, her kids, her
mother, her best friend, and God.
If there’s
one thing I know is that we all have “stuff.” Maybe not exactly the same stuff
as everyone else, but “stuff,” nonetheless. Madi helps us realize there are
others out there who probably deal with their issues just as poorly as we do
sometimes. But God’s grace is enough to cover our insecurities, our faults, and
weaknesses, even when we mess up and our lives feel insanely out-of-control.
What do you want readers to take away from
reading Madily in Love?
Although
this book has to do with the importance (and fun) of adding romance to
marriage, the main thing I hope readers can take away is that even though life
seems unmanageable, disorderly, and chaotic, God is always in control. One of
the recurring phrases throughout the book—as mentioned by Madi’s counselor—is
“Embrace this place.” In other words, no matter what you’re going through,
recognize that it won’t last forever. And down the road, you might just look
back and see just how that “unbearable” season was essential in moving you to a
place of growth and necessary change.
Are you planning another book? If so, what is
the story?
I am
currently working on the 3rd and final book in the Madi series, due
out in the fall of 2013. It’s titled, Sylvie & Gold. Madi’s best friend
Sylvie is preparing for her wedding (and if you’ve read Mind over Madi, you
know who she’s marrying). With just a few weeks before the wedding, Sylvie is
dealing with a lot: Her meddling and feisty soon-to-be mother-in-law, her son’s
sexting issue, planning her mom’s sixtieth birthday party, and her fiance’s
ex-wife, who has come back to town after a seven-year absence. Sylvie is
normally pretty calm and collected. But her stress card is quickly getting
maxed out. The question is whether she’ll completely lose her cool or find the
happily-ever-after she longs for.
GETTING PERSONAL
Who or what inspires you?
People in
general inspire me. Whether it’s hearing a moving testimony or just witnessing
someone’s positive outlook on life, I find inspiration to be a better person by
various people I meet. A good message from my pastor, a pep talk from a friend,
or a song I hear on the radio. Inspiration is everywhere. All that’s required
is a heart to receive it.
What would be your dream job if you weren’t a
writer?
I would
probably being doing something in the field of mental health, whether as a
counselor or in research or something. Why people do what they do fascinates me
and I love learning about human behavior. I’m constantly analyzing people and
my husband is always telling me I should have been a psychologist. He’s
probably right. In writing, I think this helps me in character development.
Or an ice
cream tester. Now that would be a
dream job.
Is Madily in Love based on a specific portion of
scripture?
1 Corinthians
13 would be the chapter you’d expect me to respond with, right? Well, call me
predictable. LoL. More specifically, Madily in Love is based on the 7th
verse: “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures
through every circumstance.” And Madi certainly has circumstances to endure.
Do you have a favorite personal Bible verse?
My
favorite verse is Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” I recite this
verse often! Because my mind is always so busy and distracted, I tend to stress
out a lot. I need to keep reminding myself that God is God. He’s in control.
And everything will be okay.
What do you do for fun and relaxation when
you’re not writing?
I escape
to the movie theater with my refillable bucket of popcorn. I’m sort of a
television/movie junkie, and I blame it on my need for a good story. I also
enjoy just hanging out with my kids, playing board games or video games
(although it’s been a while since I got crushed in Mario Kart).
Take a moment to brag about your family:
I’ve been
married to Rob for over twenty-four years. He works for a dairy company (yes,
that means free ice cream sometimes!) and is an all-around great guy. We have
two teenagers, who both inherited my creative gene and love of reading. Zach is
18 and graduated from high school last spring. He’s taking a year off to work,
but will attend college next fall. My daughter Lyndsey is a sophomore and plays
the cymbals in the high school marching band drum line. She is a social
butterfly and hopes to go into special education.
How can readers connect with you?
My website address is www.lyndaschab.com.
I also have a blog with various writing and reading-related material at www.on-the-write-track.blogspot.com.
You can also connect with me on Facebook
and Twitter.
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A review of Madily in Love on amazon.com by Cheryl Moeller:
Maybe someone cannot handle a "how to" book, but fiction is a great way
to get some truth to a friend or family member in a more subtle way.
Buy ten of these today and hand out like candy. You will see some of the marriages around you transform.
Fiction writing at its best and it's a quick read. By a quick read I mean you can't put it down once you start.
Buy today and read for yourself but take my word you will love this book. - Cheryl Moeller (Momlaughs)
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