INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR – C.L . Ragsdale

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR – C.L . Ragsdale

It is a great pleasure to have C.L. Ragsdale review today. A very warm welcome, C.L. and thanks C.L. for giving us the chance to get to know you more and also for allowing us a glimpse of the world that you have created inside your writing. Thank you very much. Let her walk through her profile and book, as appended below, before we kick off the Q + A session.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - C.L. Ragsdale

C.L. Ragsdale has always loved to read, which lead to her love of a writing.  This is a fact her family can confirm as she has driven them crazy over the years with her story ideas.  Except for her Father, the only one who had more stories than her.  However, it was not until recently that she got serious about the work of writing, and getting the confidence to actually post her works as e-books.   Her philosophy of writing is simple, brief, character driver and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an entertaining way.

C.L. Ragsdale is the author of the books below.

AVAILABLE ON KINDLE NOW!

1. The Mystery of Hurtleberry House (The Reboot Files #1)

2. The Island of Living Trees (The Reboot Files #2)

Q &A portion:

James: When did you begin to write?

CL : I started writing in my teenage years, which was an outgrowth of my love of reading.  But also being lazy, I would come up with a concept, write various scenes, and then give up because it just seemed that writing was such hard work.  Then one day, I sat down and put the full story together and found out I was right.  Writing is hard work, but I love it which makes it much easier to deal with.

James : What make you to think of publishing a book to share with others and at the same time encourage others to share their faiths? So far what is your worst criticism/attacks, and how you overcome it?

CL: Well I really don't think it was my idea.  The Holy Spirit just kept bugging me.  Being a Christian I decided I should listen and started getting serious about writing. I began to see it as my ministry and made it my goal to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an entertaining way.  Jesus commanded His followers to share the Gospel, but He also created us to have different talents to get it done.  Some are gifted as mighty speakers, some do wonderful good works and others write fiction stories.  There’s no size fits all in sharing Gospel, you just have to ask God to show you what He created you to do.

My worst criticism came when I completed my first (unpublished) novel which is not part of The Reboot Files Series.  Someone proofed it for me and gave me some scathing criticism about how bad the book was and that maybe writing was not my calling.  The person was right in the critical points, but it shook my certainty that this was what the Lord had called me to do.  Finally, after much prayer, and I admit a few tears, I revisited the novel and did a rewrite keeping the critical points the person had made in mind.  It did help the story, but also convinced me to change from the novel to the novella length which is how I structured The Reboot Files because I just seem to write "short" better.

James: How you come up with title of your books?

CL: I came up with The Reboot Files for the series name because that is what is happening to my main characters Irene Waters and Troy Stenson.  Their lives are literally being rebooted by God in a totally different direction than they were planning.

The first book I knew I wanted to give the supposed haunted house a name. After considering and discarding several ideas I settled on a berry name of some sort, but I didn't want it to sound like a child's dollhouse.  I liked Huckleberry but it reminded me of a cartoon character, again too cutesy.  So I got out a Thesaurus and found the Old English word of Whortleberry, but Whortleberry House didn't sound right.  Then I found the alternate word of Hurtleberry which I thought sounded good with House.  Since this is a mystery series I called it the Mystery of Hurtleberry House.

The Island of Living Trees is homage to my sister who loves the cheesy horror films that we used to watch on the TV afternoon matinee shows when we were kids.  There is a particularly bad one were the premise involves a guy being killed and coming back as a murderous tree to take his revenge on those who wronged him.  Believe it or not, it’s worse than it sounds.  Now my book has little to do with this movie, really I promise, but the walking tree thing gave me the idea of having a legend of trees walking around an island and turning people into trees. So it became The Island of Living Trees.

James: Can you enlighten us a little more about your books?

CL:  It all involves the turn in the fortunes of Irene Waters, a once up and coming Christian television reporter who got involved in a scandal with a married man.  Although how she got involved she has no idea as she barely knew the man.  This bogus scandal is threatening to ruin her life and career, and has all left her questioning her trust in God.  Her employment options being limited she ends up at Reboot, a television station that can only kindly be described as slightly above cable access.  She’s teamed with Troy Stenson a talented but reckless cameraman with credibility issues of his own.  They are assigned to a cheesy paranormal investigation show called Irene’s Eerie Adventures.  Each book will involve a different mystery with a bit of urban legend thrown in.  Irene will strengthen her relationship with God and discover that He had a plan all along, although convincing Troy is going to be a bit of work.  More humor and fun than chills and thrills.

James: Is there anything else you would like your readers to pay special attention in regards to your book, which you have not mentioned above?

CL: Although Irene and Troy’s adventures are the main focus, there is also the subplot involving The Records Department.  This shadowy organization may, or may not, be up to no good.  They will not appear in every book in the series, but their manipulations will  be felt. Also keep your eye on Bernie Youngman, Reboot's owner as there is definitely more to him than meets the eye.

James: When do you plan to publish your book 2, if applicable.

CL: Book number 3 is called The Harbinger of Retribution (great title huh?).  It continues the series with Irene and Troy getting involved in a cursed statue story.  I'll be bringing it out in November of 2011.

James : How many volume of books for the above series ?

CL: Well I mapped it out to be seven books, but then I came up with more ideas. Right now I have ten in mind, but that could change.  Don't worry, remember they're short books.

James: Tell us your guided principle that governs your life? How you cultivate these values?

CL: Definitely the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Living my life the way He intended and believing in the salvation His Son died to give me.  I read the Bible often, go to a Bible teaching church and listen to the smartest person God put in my life, my mother.

James: Is there any other advice which you like to share with our readers?

CL:  Talk to God, find out what He has planned for your life, and do it.  It’s so much easier that way.

Thank again CL for joining us today. Let us wish her a fulfilling day.