When thinking of authors I wanted to interview/highlight/show love for, Bethany immediately came to mind. I read her novel The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck (lovingly known as
After being told by numerous acquaintances and even friends within the CF writing world that my own writing was “different” and didn’t fit the typical mold, I became depressed and already felt defeated.
God gave me my own unique voice, I didn’t want to be like “everyone” else, but to break into traditional CF publishing, there’s a rather specific route and writing style one typically has to follow.
Bethany’s book shined like a beacon of hope. I was like yes! This is realistic. This is funny. This is a Christian book I can relate to! This book feels “different.”
Of course, I had to contact her. I’ve only reached out to a few authors and some never replied. So when I emailed her randomly one afternoon, I was shocked when she found me on Facebook that SAME day! She friended me, messaged me, and THEN asked if we could Facetime THAT day! She must have felt my desperation reaching out to her through the email. I cried a little—in both excitement and relief (and a little bit of terror—what in the world would I even say? And oh my gosh, I have to put on real clothes!).
But I needed the pep talk. Every bit of it. Our conversation probably carried on way too long and interrupted her perfectly peaceful lunch hour, but for that small investment of time, I will be forever grateful to her. And that’s just the kind of person Bethany is.
So without further delay, here is the wonderful, delightfully funny, Mrs. Bethany Turner…
Tell us about your writing journey. How long have you been writing? When was your first book published? (etc)
About seven years ago I self-published some general market women’s fiction that I never really had any big plans for. That series of books came at a time when I was needing a creative outlet—in the past that creative outlet had been theatre (directing and acting), but my day job as vice president of a bank was no longer allowing me time for that, so writing filled the void. I unexpectedly fell in love with writing, and a couple years later I walked away from my career. I didn’t walk away to write, exactly—though I believed that was going to be a big part of it. But I walked away because that’s what God was leading me to do…even if I didn’t get to know where I was heading.
How did you get your “big break?” Or how did you break into publishing?
Shortly after I left banking, I wrote the first draft of what became The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck in about six weeks and began seeking publication. I queried a few agents and received one offer that God guided me not to accept, but the other queries resulted in rejections. Almost all of the agents who rejected me said the Christian market wasn’t ready for what I was writing. I just couldn’t accept that. God had put that story on my heart for a reason. A friend told me about Writer’s Edge, a manuscript submission service. Everything I read and heard said it was just a glorified slush pile that you have to pay to be in, with pretty much zero chance of success. And keep in mind, we couldn’t afford the fee. I had just quit my job! But after a lot of prayer, my husband and I decided I should pay the fee and submit. Writer’s Edge accepted my manuscript on their list, and thirteen days later I was contacted by Revell.
How was your self-published versus your traditionally published experience?
I have so much respect for indie authors, and I can’t say for sure that I won’t self-publish again someday, but in general, for me personally, I do better working with a team. I’m willing to work hard—and I do. I always give every aspect of publishing my all. But I only know what I know. I don’t know that I trust myself enough to not overlook a million important details. But, like I said, I have so much respect for indie authors, because there are so many out there who are doing it really, really well. I’m just not sure I could.
What’s been your most career-defining moment?
I’ll never in my entire life, for as long as I live, forget landing in Nashville for the ACFW Conference in 2018, turning my phone back on out of airplane mode, and discovering countless messages and notifications from author friends and reader friends, congratulating me on being a Christy Award finalist. I’d been in the air during the announcement, and probably wouldn’t have been paying attention even if I’d been on the ground. Never in a million years did I expect recognition like that for my first Christian Fiction novel. And to be a finalist alongside Becky Wade and Susan May Warren, who are both such leaders in the industry, was just completely surreal.
What’s the best part about being an author?
The readers. I know that is such a cliché answer, but it’s absolutely true. When a reader welcomes your words into their heart, and agrees to go on a journey with you…it’s such an immense privilege.
How do you celebrate your successes?
By taking a little time off! Life is busy—I’m now a full-time staff member at my church, I have a busy husband, two busy teenagers—but when there’s a little bit of success, I try to savor it. And nothing helps me savor any good or important moment in life more than stepping back and focusing on the most important relationships in my life.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
The thing is…I don’t tend to feel guilty about my guilty pleasures! I’m a complete dork, and I own that. (If you read Wooing Cadie McCaffrey, you’ll discover Cadie shares my dorky tendencies.) Among my pleasures that I maybe should feel guilty about—my musical tastes. I was probably born at the wrong time, because most of my favorite music consists of 70’s ballads. Barry Manilow, the Carpenters, Neil Diamond…you know, really hip stuff like that!
When you’re not writing, what are you doing?
Working the other job, most likely. Beyond that, you can probably find me playing Madden on the Xbox with the family, or watching my favorite romantic comedies for the eightieth time.
What’s some of your favorite romance movies you’ve watched over and over again? And why?
Best question ever! I really want to teach a rom-com class someday. I think it’s probably my true calling! Okay, number one is You’ve Got Mail. Every line is perfection, every performance is nuanced, the music both captures and creates the perfect emotion in every single case, and it does an incredible job of capturing setting in a way that truly makes the Upper West Side a supporting character. (Also, Tom Hanks at his absolute best.) Then I’d go with While You Were Sleeping. It’s just so, so charming, and takes what could have been a predictable love story and gave it true depth and heart—primarily due to the family dynamic. (Also, Bill Pullman at his absolute best.) And while I know it’s not for the faint of heart, in regards to content and language, I would be completely amiss if I didn’t mention Bridget Jones’s Diary. Bridget is such a relatable character—not necessarily in her circumstances but certainly in her sensibilities, inner dialogue, and self-doubt—and it never fails to make me snort with laughter. (Also, Colin Firth at his absolute best.)
What advice would you give to aspiring Christian Fiction writers?
My advice for writers aspiring to write Christian Fiction would be to always remember God never promised us that following Him would be easy. Quite the opposite, in fact. But it is so, so worth it. We all come into contact with others—be it agents, editors, publishers, reviewers, and obviously readers—who may love what we write, but they may hate it. I’ve had readers thank me for writing a story which led them back to the Lord, and I’ve had readers accuse me of heresy. In both cases, readers were referencing the same book. You need to have thick skin, but a tender heart. That’s a tricky thing, so make sure you’re keeping God in all of it. It needs to all be for Him. If it is, you can be sure He’ll be with you every step of the way—and that reward exceeds all else.
We all base our characters on someone. Who are your heroes inspired by?
I think I can honestly say that I’m not sure Ben Delaney in The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck was based on anyone! I’m sure he must have been, but I’m not aware of it, if so. He was probably an amalgamation of several different romance movie leading men, but I’m not even sure who. To me, he was really just the man that Sarah Hollenbeck needed, and he was created to be her perfect partner. Now, Will Whitaker in Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is a different story. There’s definitely a little bit of my husband in him (and probably in Ben, too). The goodness, the kindness, and the quiet, steady faith. But beyond that, Will Whitaker was really based on Jim Halpert from The Office!
What is something you’ve learned throughout your writing journey thus far?
I’ve learned that the only thing worse than crunch time—when you are facing a deadline for one book and gearing up for release of another, and you’re looking at a never-ending pile of marketing requests, and you’re trying to keep up with social media—is down time. At least for me. When I’m between projects and have no official obligations, my brain doesn’t know what to do with itself, so it usually starts trying to launch three new story ideas, all at once! That’s torture for me. I need something to focus on.
What’s something you would like readers to know about you?
That I am very much in life as I am on the page. What you see is what you get—for better or worse. I’m obsessed with pop culture, I believe humor is one of God’s greatest creations, and I don’t believe in taking the easy way out. We were given a commission to go and tell, and we should use whatever tools we have in order to do that as effectively as possible. I really like to be liked, and I really want readers to enjoy my books. But my value comes from the Lord, so if He’s pleased, I’m just going to keep praying for the courage to use the tools I have.
When you sit down to start a new book, what goals do you have in mind—for yourself and your readers?
My tagline, which my publisher created in my initial bio, is “Tackling the thorny issues of life with humor and insight.” I guess that sums it up pretty well. I know that there will be readers who can’t identify with what I write, but that’s okay. The story isn’t for them. It’s for the reader who can identify with the particular thorny issue I’m writing about. And my goal for that reader is that they will see themselves in the character or in the story, and maybe come to a greater understanding, through the characters or story, of the love God feels for them. And usually my goal for myself is to keep God in it, through the entire process, and to somehow meet my deadline!
Got any fun tidbits about Wooing Cadie McCaffrey?
Wooing Cadie McCaffrey is not only a romantic comedy…it’s also an homage to romantic comedies. The storyline involves Will Whitaker attempting to win Cadie back, using inspiration he gathers from Cadie’s favorite movies. As I began writing, I knew the story had to take place in New York City. Is there anywhere more iconic in
Is there another project in the works? Any hints?
My next novel after Wooing Cadie McCaffrey will be published by Revell in 2020. Hints…hmm… Well, I already told you who the inspiration was for my hero! I guess I can say that it is the story of two rival celebrity chefs, but I’m afraid that’s all I can tell you at this point. Stay tuned!
More about Bethany:
Bethany Turner is the award-winning author of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, which was a Christy Award finalist. When she’s not writing (and even when she is), she serves as the director of administration for Rock Springs Church in Southwest Colorado. She lives with her husband and their two sons in Colorado, where she writes for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight. Learn more at www.seebethanywrite.com.
To purchase Bethany’s latest book Wooing Cadie McCaffrey or
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Fun interview!