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Thursday, November 11, 2021

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Jodie Wolfe!

 Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Jodie Wolfe!

Linda: Congratulations on your upcoming release (tomorrow!) Protecting Annie. What was your inspiration for this story? Did you set out to create a series or did it just happen? 

Jodie: Thank you. It's exciting. I appreciate you having me on today. In regards to the inspiration, I thought it would be fun to create a character (Annie McPherson) who has a lot of head knowledge but when it comes to common sense, not so much. She's a total opposite from my heroine in my first book in the series, Taming Julia. I figured Annie would be fun to interact with Jules' brother, Josh who is pure cowboy through and through. As I was writing Taming Julia, I knew I wanted to have a book about Jules' brother which is how Protecting Annie came about. 

LM: I love that your female protagonist wears glasses and is pictured as such on the cover. How did you decide to create her? 

Jodie: You don't often see protagonists with glasses do you? It made sense to create a character like this since I've worn glasses since I was in second grade. Annie, like me, is blind without her spectacles which make for some fun scenes. 

LM: Research is an important aspect of writing, especially historical fiction, and all of your books are always accurate. What sort of things did you do to research Protecting Annie? 

Jodie: One of the biggest things I researched was Wanted posters from the time period. I don't want to go into too much detail, but it plays an important part in this story. 

LM: You write historical fiction set in various times during the 1800s. How do you select which time
period makes sense for your story? Do you come up with the plot first or the era, or something else? Do you have a favorite time period? 

Jodie: For this story, I wanted it to be just shortly after Taming Julia took place which is how I came up with 1876. I typically come up with a story idea first knowing that most times it will be set in anywhere from 1870s-1890s, although I am starting work on a book that takes place in the 1860s which I haven't done before. As for a favorite time period, somewhere in the 1870s. 

LM: How do you juggle your writing career with other responsibilities? 

Jodie: Sometimes I do great with this, other times not so much. Recently our son has been going through a difficult situation and it's been hard balancing being there for him while also trying to keep up with my writing responsibilities. I'm blessed to have a publisher who is very understanding. 

LM: How did the pandemic impact your writing? 

Jodie: It impacted me a lot. My husband worked from home for over a year and I found myself too distracted to write while he was here. 

LM: What is one piece of advice you have for fledgling writers? 

Jodie: Trust God and His timing. He knows what's best. Keep pressing into Him. 

LM: What is your next project? 

Jodie: I'm actually tentatively working on two ideas. One is the next book in this series (Burrton Springs Brides) with a working title of either Wooing Gertrude or Courting Gertrude. She's the seamstress and friend in Protecting Annie. The other project is a new series set in a town in PA. The first story will be in the 1860s which will require some extra research. 

LM: Where can folks find you on the web? 

Jodie: 

ABOUT Protecting Annie: 

After twenty years of living along the trail as a deputy U.S. Marshal, Joshua Walker takes a job as sheriff in Burrton Springs, Kansas so he can be closer to his sister. The only problem: she no longer requires his protection so he's unsure of his next step. Annie McPherson needs a change after the death of her father. She accepts a position as a schoolmarm, hoping her past won't catch up with her. Life is good, except for the pesky sheriff who continues to question her ability to adjust to life in the west and creates confrontations at every turn. When the irritating schoolteacher's past and present collide, dragging him into the turmoil, Josh has to decide who he's willing to defend.



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