BG: Tell us about your life, where you grew up, your interests and hobbies.
Molly: I was born in Kingsville, Texas – the daughter and granddaughter of real cowboys, and I spent part of my growing up years on a sixty thousand acre Texas cattle ranch. I enjoy spending time with my family, and I also like to spend time with my God during prayer, praise and Bible reading.
My husband and I have three grown sons, and we lived in the Texas Hill Country west of San Antonio for many years. Now we live in Kingsville again near our sons and four grandchildren.
BG—How did you get started writing and how long after you started would you say it took to get published?
M—I was teaching third grade in a public school when a fellow teacher told me that she was taking a course in fiction writing by correspondence. And I thought, I would like to do that. I took the course before I even tried to sell anything, and I am glad I did. I learned a lot of things about fiction writing that I might not have learned for years if I hadn’t taken that course. I sold short stories fairly soon after I started writing to sell. It took years to start selling books.
BG—On your website, you give your testimony and make no bones about it. I love the way you share Christ because, as you state on your website, “It’s not about Molly, it’s about the Lord.” What is your faith stance, and how does it affect you writing?
M—By the time I started trying to sell my work, I was teaching kindergarten in a public school, and it should not surprise anyone that my first two sales were to a magazine that published fiction stories for young children—a secular magazine by the way. But soon after that, I dedicated my writing to the Lord and stopped selling to publishers that only sell secular material.
In 1985 I sold my first adult novel, For Always, to Zondervan. This was followed by another Zondervan sale, The Rogue’s Daughter. Zondervan also bought a third novel, but it was never published because by that time the Christian fiction market had dried up.
After the Christian fiction market all but dried up, I was encouraged to write secular romance novels. But for me, that would be wrong. So I sat back and waited until the Christian fiction market opened again.
That happened in 1999 when Brides and Blessings was published by Steeple Hill. It had been a long wait.
BG—Who has influenced you most as a writer and why?
M—Though they both write secular novels, I like the writing styles of Debbie Macomber and Mary Higgins Clark. Therefore, I would have to say that they influenced my writing style. However, there is really only one person who has influenced my writing, and that is the Lord.
BG—What is your favorite movie?
M—While You Were Sleeping. I also like Emma, You’ve Got Mail, and Kate and Leopold.
BG–Oh I love all of those too! Especially Kate and Leopold. Okay, plug time. Tell us about your new book, Sanctuary. What inspired you to choose the Huguenots, i.e. this timeframe? What is the message you hope to get across in the story?
M—I am descended from French Huguenots as well as Scottish clansmen, and I also have a Jewish ancestor–way back. All these facts resulted in choosing the setting of Sanctuary as France in 1740.
Sanctuary is a fast-paced adventure story about forgiving the unforgivable, and I would like for my readers to know that many Christians came to the United States in order to worship God as they wished. I hope reading Sanctuary will help others learn to forgive and cause them to cherish the freedoms Americans hold so dear.
BG—I love adventure stories and historicals. I can’t wait to read Sanctuary. I’ll post a review as soon as I do. Of your books, which is your favorite?
M—The book I am writing is always my favorite. Currently, that is the sequel to Sanctuary, and I will probably title it Secret Place.
BG—What are your future plans?
M—I have a seven-book contract with Tsaba House; so in the future, I will be busy writing.
BG—Are you still working on Faith of Our Fathers? Tell us about this series. Do you think you’ll continue to write historical novels or are you considering other genres?
M—I enjoy writing historical novels, and have two more long historical novels to write in the Faith of Our Fathers series. However, I am also contracted to write in other genres.
I have already written a short modern-day romance for Tsaba House that doesn’t have a title yet. Add to that the two non-fictions books I am contracted to write, and I am certainly writing in other genres.
BG—Can you share a bit about Tsaba House?
M—Tsaba House is a Christian book publisher and appears interested in all kinds of books, but at the moment, they are not buying juvenile fiction. Tsaba House only reads book proposals once a year, and that is in the month of January. To learn more, read their guidelines. www.tsabahouse.com
BG—What tips do you have to share with the aspiring writers out there on writing in general?
M—Study the markets and good books on fiction writing like Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain. And read. Read. Read.
BG—Any marketing tips?
M—Read writers guidelines. Then follow them to the letter.
BG—Closing thoughts you’d like to share?
M—If the Lord has called you to write for Him, write. And never give up.
Molly Noble Bull’s web address is www.mollynoblebull.com. If you go to her website, scroll down and click Molly’s Books, you can see all her book covers and read an excerpt from Sanctuary and The Winter Pearl.
Sanctuary is released on September 15th. Be sure to comment to be entered into a drawing for her book.
Blessings!
Beth
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For a few tips on developing characters through dialogue, read my article on Keep Me In Suspense.