So Happy To Introduce you to ... Staci Stallings!!

It is so wonderful to have Staci with us this month. She is a talented woman who loves the Lord. Please join me in welcoming Staci Stallings!!

How did you come up with the idea for this book?

Like many of my books, the idea for "Deep in the Heart" came in a dream. However, unlike other books, I can't really tell you what the dream was about. Most of them I can remember a moment or something about the dream. This one (and this is weird), all I had when I woke up was a name. One name, and a feeling I had that I knew it wasn't just a random name but a real live person; however, I wasn't sure I'd ever seen the person, but I knew what he looked like in my head. The name was "Keith Anderson." I got up, went straight to the computer, and searched it through images. Sure enough. That was exactly the person I was picturing! I kind of let myself go and started asking God for the other pieces, and by day's end I had started "Deep in the Heart." Within a month it was finished.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The hook of "Deep in the Heart" is "Can Keith defy the two most powerful men in Texas to follow his heart?" So... it's about Texas. I tried to find something that said Texas without screaming Texas. I wanted to allude to it without bashing the reader over the head with it because Texas in all its "bigness" plays a large part in this book. The idea that came and stuck and stayed was "Deep in the Heart," and I think that title works on many different levels because the book asks if the characters are determined to play shallow with life or if they are brave enough to go deep.

How do you come up with character’s names?

Keith's name was easy--though I did change it to Ayers. Maggie's name was about seven different things as I started writing. Every time I changed the title name, I would change her name too. But I really like the name Maggie because she's rather young, like 22 or 23, and she's... well, she's Maggie. She's not super-sophisticated. She's kind of shy and unassuming. She doesn't take herself too seriously. So Maggie was a great fit.

Some of the other character names came quite naturally. Conrad Ayers, Keith's dad fit because Conrad is an older name and kind of formal. Vivian, Keith's stepmom is the quintessential frilly-at-the-neck with the perfect suit woman. I tend to think of Victorian when I think of her. Patty Ann is Vivian's assistant and just annoying and catty and mean to everyone. Finally, there's Dallas, Keith's fiancée and the daughter of the Texas Senator who will eat Keith for lunch if he dares to hurt his little girl. It's a fun group. :)

Are your characters based on real people?

Normally no. But sometimes I make an exception if they show up as the person they are. Keith is one of those. In what can only be a God thing, shortly after I started writing this, Keith (the real one) had his biggest hit "Every Time I Hear Your Name." I think I watched that video a hundred-thousand times in that month. (Yes, I have a rough job, but I took one for the team! :)

Another character in this one that was based on a real person because he was who showed up was the character of Ike. Carefully pressed Wranglers, that cowboy hat just right--older but carrying it well, serious but with a quick, heart-stopping smile. Who else but the incomparable George Strait? Only problem with that was when he started giving Keith a hard time. Never thought I could even play hate George, but he was annoying me for awhile there!

When do you write?

Ugh. There's a question. I have written 30 full-length novels, 6 Bible Studies, and 5 short story collections. I have 4 blogs that I update every week, and at least five new titles that I'm working on. But if I had to tell you when I've done all that, I would have no idea.

When I was in high school, I wrote what they called "Newswriting" in Texas U.I.L. contests. The deal was, they gave you a sheet of information back and front, and you had to compose a news story (long hand) in 30 minutes. Start to finish edit. 30 minutes. I didn't realize it back then, but WOW does that ability to speed write--no second guessing--has served me very well over the years! When I have an idea, I go for it, and usually the Holy Spirit has to carry me through the doubts about how this is ever going to work out and what did that detail mean. Between the two things, I write a lot more that my time schedule ever says I possibly could.

What emotion do you most want to pull from your readers?

EVERY emotion! Are you kidding? If you don't laugh out loud and shed at least a few tears every book, I haven't done my job. I want my readers to be so hooked into the book that they forget to make dinner and the laundry just piles up--and they don't even care! Not in a bad way but I just think in our world today we so often just skate on the surface of everything. We don't take time to really FEEL. In fact, in some ways we're told that feeling is wrong or beneath us. I don't believe that for a second. That's what I want to give readers--a safe, wonderful place to feel--maybe deeper than they have let themselves in a long time.

Do you work outside of writing?

Ha! After you read the answer to this one, go back up to that "When do you write" question. I do not have a formal job outside of writing, like a place where I go to every day and collect a paycheck. However, I own two businesses, keep all the finances for my own and for the business I own with my husband--that's bills out, paying bills, bank statements, bonds, taxes, insurance, etc. I'm the founder of a Christian authors' group that helps each other learn to market. I also have three kids who go to two different schools, and every year I organize and run four different fundraisers between the two schools. Further, we have two very large, well-connected families with all the birthday parties, anniversaries, and get-togethers that entails. I also teach Sunday School and write and direct the VBS plays every year. I serve on retreat teams as well as doing all the "Mom" stuff--Valentine's parties, track practices, gymnastics... No. I don't know how I get it all done. The only thing I can tell you is God is GREAT at scheduling everything! I just do what He puts in front of me to do at the moment and figure He's got a plan for everything else. If I didn't have God, I'd be a basket case by now!

Do you have other titles coming out besides this one? If so, what are they?

I now have 14 titles on Kindle and Nook and 7 in print. One of my books, "Coming Undone" hit the #1 spot in Religious Fiction and Religion & Inspirational on Amazon at the beginning of February. That was an incredible ride.

I also have "Cowboy" which hit #98 in Romance in religious fiction and was a #9 Top-Rated Religious Fiction Novel on Amazon the first part of February. You can see all of my romance novels at: http://ebookromancestories.com

Do you have advice for future authors?

Listen to God. The world is going to tell you a lot of things to talk you out of what your heart is telling you. For example, I had a lot of people tell me that they didn't like my style. They tried very hard to change and to convince me to change the way I wrote, the unique way I tell a story. But God wouldn't let me be at peace with that, so I chose to trust Him more than what everyone else was telling me. It was not an easy road to get here, and I questioned if I would ever see this place. But God is faithful to the calling He puts on your heart, and He was faithful to the one He put on mine. I think if at the end, you can be thankful to God for seeing you through it all, THAT'S success. Get really good at listening to Him and trusting what He's telling you. That will get you farther than all of the other stuff put together.

Do you have a home on the web? What’s the address?

Several actually...

Romance Novels: http://ebookromancestories.com

Christian Living: http://spiritlightbooks.wordpress.com

Marketing: http://gnfmarketing.wordpress.com

I'm on Twitter: @StaciStallings

And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/staci.stallings.author

Thanks so very much for having me, Rhonda! I've enjoyed the opportunity!

Have an awesome day, everyone! God bless!


It was great to have you here Staci! I loved hearing how your characters are created and come to life.