Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Judy DuCharme
JUDY: I do enjoy historicals, but I’ve often coupled it with futuristic or prophetic, so it’s hard to pinpoint a particular era. Two of my books are late 1800s as is the one I’m currently writing, so maybe that’s my favorite.
LM: You’ve also published a devotional. How was writing that different from writing novels?
JUDY: The research is different, but it’s still my heart. I think my heart for the Lord is present in all my books . . . my ‘theme’ is ‘Writing that others may be strong in the Lord’. My devotionals were written for football fans, particularly Green Bay Packer fans, so I combined my passion for Packer football and my passion for the Lord. It was fun, although the research to make sure all my events were accurate was a bit daunting at times.
LM: Can you tell us a bit about your writing journey?
JUDY: I always enjoyed writing and thought about writing a book someday as a child. In high school and college I wrote short stories and poetry. When my children were babies I took a correspondence course on writing for children and teens, but life got busy and writing went on the shelf. When my children were in school, I went back to college to be certified for elementary teaching. I taught fifth grade for 22 years and loved it. In my mid 50’s, the Lord began to stir up my desire to write, and I soon realized it was a calling.
In 2007 I was half-listening to a Christian TV show. The man was speaking about fulfilling the
destinies and callings placed in us. He asked everyone to stop and ask the Lord to show them where their face would be in 5 years. I paused, sat, and did that. I saw my face on the back of a book. Five and a half years later, to the day, my first book, The Cheesehead Devotional, Kickoff Edition, was published. It was interesting as I’d basically forgotten about it and had to go back into the show’s archives to find out when that show was aired.
I retired from teaching in June 2012 and that book was published fall of 2012. I’m thinking I didn’t really retire, just changed careers. Since then I’ve had seven books published, one that will come out in the next few months, and one under contract that I’m currently writing. I’ve received about 20 awards for my books, including winning a contest for Guideposts, being one of 12 winners out of 3-4000 contestants. I’ve had about six pieces published in their magazines and two pieces in their book about miracles.
LM: How do you come up with your characters? Are they based on you or anyone you know?
JUDY: This may sound funny, but I’m not quite sure. As a story formulates in my mind and heart, the characters arise. Sometimes they are patterned after people or characters I’m familiar with, but it’s usually snippets of many, and those characters just take off and I try to develop them so that the reader knows them as well as I do. I heard a preacher share about how just like authors create quirks in their characters to make the story more interesting and allow for plot changes, so the Lord creates us with quirks to just show His hand and His creativity in us. It so blessed me to accept those crazy parts of me as God’s design, and to help me better create my characters. I always want there to be a sense of humor, lots of heart and bravery, and a drawing to the Lord. In Lainey of the Door Islands, you may find it’s a bit of an Anne of Green Gables in the Midwest.
LM: What authors have influenced your writing?
JUDY: Bodie Thoene was a big influencer as was Joel Rosenberg . . . Blood Moon Redemption was heavily influenced by their subject matter and style.
LM: What advice do you have for fledgling writers?
JUDY: The best advice I ever received was to get to a writers conference. It was there that I met publishers, agents, and editors. Many publishers only publish those they meet at conferences –you need to be committed to get there. Workshops at conferences provided necessary tools to improve my writing . . . we all can improve no matter how good we are already. And, I met so many friends that are on this same journey. Also, just write, get it on paper (or online). Do your best to edit but don’t trust yourself to be your best editor. I was a teacher so I knew a lot about grammar and such, but I needed an editor – it’s tough at first, but so needed. Join a critique group. Word Weavers offers great online groups as well as in-person groups.
LM: What’s your next project?
LM: Where can folks find you on the web?
JUDY:
Website: https://www.judithducharme.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PackerJudy
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Judy-DuCharme-Author-1360359084069983
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leejudyducharme/
About Blood Moon Redemption:
It was just a relic, and hers, just a name. Who knew what time it really was?
The blood moons were always surrounded by great persecution and great provision, great trial and great triumph.
When the Jews were expelled from Spain and traveled with Columbus, only a tassel from a prayer shawl remained with them to signify their faith. That tassel, handed down, stolen, and hidden, became a marker of God's protection and now is the focus of a terrorist scheme and a young woman's destiny.
Blood Moon Redemption is an end-times thriller that will keep you riveted until the very last moonrise.
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3sMVmGY
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