ღ About Gina Holder ღ
Gina Holder is an indie author and stay-at-home mom. She’s had an infatuation with books for as long as she can remember. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog at http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com. When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She’s been a member of ACFW for several years, and loves growing in her craft as an author. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter.
Can you share with us a book you have read recently, are currently reading?
The last few years, I have struggled to read due to some eye issues, but I’ve adjusted and accepted my limitations, so I recently began working through my very backed up TO BE READ list. Currently, I’m reading Edge of Dusk by Colleen Coble in eBook. I am also reading Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong in paperback.
What do you come up with first, when you begin a new project?
I must have a title as soon as possible. And not just a place holder, the actual title the book will be released under. Until I have that, I struggle to write the story. Once I have the title, it cements the story concept for me, and I’m able to begin writing.
Tell us about this book.
Grace Immeasurable is the final book in the Shadows Over Whitman trilogy. Kylie Phillips was a minor character in the previous two books, where we’ve had glimpses into her heart and past. When I began digging into her character to write Grace Immeasurable, I found she had a lot more going on than I originally realized. Her story wraps up all the loose ends for the series and gives everyone a happily ever after.
What do you find to be the most challenging when writing?
I’m not very good at just getting the first draft on screen as quickly as possible. I obsess over every sentence, even though I know it’ll probably get changed during the editing. I’m learning to leave myself notes about things I don’t know yet or need to research and then try to just move forward but it’s a work in progress.
What character do you like best?
I loved creating Kylie, of course, but one of my favorite characters that appears in Grace Immeasurable is Mr. Cornelius Verne, an elderly gentleman who visits Kylie’s café every day at the same time with a notebook, and five watches between his two arms. Mr. Verne was inspired by a real-life man I saw at a restaurant in KY, who wore multiple watches, and had a notebook and pens laying on the table in front of him. When I began the story, this was all I knew about Mr. Verne. I didn’t know where he came from, why he wore five watches, or what he wrote in his notebook. Both turned out to be some of the greatest surprises when crafting this book.
What was something that surprised you in the way this book unfolded?
There were two scenes specifically where I was surprised by something that happened. One, near the ending, when a character starts laughing, I thought, “Why are you laughing? You’re not supposed to be laughing. What’s happening!” The second was also near the ending regarding a special character named Mr. Verne. Not only did he turn out to be a POC, but his journal reveals something a little different than even I thought, and I created it.
What’s one thing you wish readers would take away from this book?
It wasn’t until I was finishing Grace Immeasurable that I realized that God had woven a theme through the entire trilogy. Each woman learns that she is seen, accepted, and loved by the Heavenly Father. Secondly, each woman learns not to be defined by the mistakes of her past and see herself the way that God sees her. There is also a different element of forgiveness in each one: #1-God’s forgiveness. #2- Forgiveness of Self. #3- Forgiving Offenders
What project is next on your list?
My next project is a prequel to a new series I’ll be releasing called The Game Master series, The Escape Game, and it will appear in a novel collection with several other romantic suspense authors.
Where do we find you and your books?
The best place is my blog at http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com. My books are available only through Amazon.
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