Aimée Marie Bejarano is a Christian Author of inspirational, historical fiction, paranormal, science fiction, horror and urban fantasy novels.
Caryl McAdoo loves writing for Christian genres - historical and contemporary romance, Biblical fiction, and mid-grade especially.
Gigi Griffis is a world-traveling entrepreneur and writer with a special love for inspiring stories, new places, and living in the moment.
Lindsey Jayne is a huge fan of paranormal, thrillers and erotic fiction. And if all three are combined, she is in heaven. Especially when it comes to Alpha males!
Each month on Writers Boon Blog, writers take on questions about the world of books. This week, Aimée Marie Bejarano, Caryl McAdoo, Gigi Griffis and Lindsey Jayne share their best moments of the last five years.
Aimée Marie Bejarano
The best moment in five years has been the day I received the proof copy of my first novel, "Angelica: You Have Chosen Well" Part One. I recall opening the brown package. My face probably glowed like that of a pregnant woman. I couldn't wait until I saw my father. He hasn't been supportive of any of my books nor has he read any, even to this day. I often times seek his approval of a pride that I see he has towards my other siblings. Seems childish, but many people don't think much of writers unless they make the money of a Stephen King. He trailed through the door, and I happily and slyly held the novel behind my back. When he looked at me, I revealed the novel. The look on his face was priceless. He was proud, truly proud of me in that moment. It's a moment I have ingrained within my memory that I will keep with me forever. I wish there was a way to put it behind a picture frame and hang it upon my wall. I wish I could see that look in his eyes after every novel I've published, but I'll happily stick to this day, for all time...
Many people do not think much of writers unless they make the money of a Stephen King.
Caryl McAdoo
Getting a contract from Simon & Schuster on my historical Christian romance VOW UNBROKEN! It justified twenty+ years of writing and getting published by five other smaller presses. S&S considered me a new author though it was my tenth title to be published. Surprising that S&S not exercising their option on book two in the family saga series didn't devastate me! I knew God had a plan - a good plan!
So I went Indie and have - since April 2014 - published another seventeen novels plus on non-fiction on how to write creative fiction!
The journey as a hybrid author has been totally and utterly amazing.
God has blessed me! Just check out the reviews on all my titles at Amazon and see exactly what I mean! Woo Hoo! Praise the Lord! He is SO GOOD ALL the time!
Gigi Griffis
There's something magical about the first time you hold a physical copy of your book in your hands. I've published 12 books now and every single time I get this breathless rush when the proof copy arrives and I rip off the packaging and hold my creation in my hands for the first time. So, every single book has been a thrill. But I'd by lying if I said I didn't have a favorite.
For two years, I lived in the Swiss Alps and worked on a book about Switzerland. I already loved Switzerland when I arrived, but being there for so long and writing the book made me fall even more in love with its towering mountain peaks and timber house-dotted villages, its icy glacial lakes and clean mountain air. And the day that book arrived and I held it, heavy, in my hands...that was something particularly special. Not only a book, not only my creation, but a book about a place I had grown so deeply attached to. It was my best moment and remains one of my greatest accomplishments as an author to this day.
Lindsey Jayne
I'd struggle to choose between two.
Of course, that first moment of hitting "publish" was not only one of my best moments, but one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of writing!
The second, and probably the most important of the two, was my first ever book signing in Essex 2016. I'd 'met' a lot of great people when I first started my journey into writing, and that first-time experience enabled me to actually meet some of them face-to-face. Not only that, but the whole event was fantastic! It couldn't have gone any better for my first time, and I still appreciate it to this day.