Author Interview With June McCrary Jacobs

Today I want to say a huge thank you to June McCrary Jacobs for allowing me to send her questions and taking the time to answer them. Thank you June, and welcome once again to Wonderous Reviews!

On to the Interview with June!

Me:  I see that you like to sew and quilt, what inspired you to start making such beautiful creations?

JUNE:  I've been sewing since I was eight years old—a long, long time. I began designing gifts for people using my own handmade patterns. Things like Christmas stockings, ornaments, baby quilts, tote bags, kitchen towels, cloth napkins, etc. I received a lot of positive feedback on these designs, so I decided to see if I could have some of them published so other sewers, quilters, and crafters could use them.

I've been very fortunate to work with some wonderful editors and have my original designs published in various magazines and sewing books and on sewing blogs here in the United States and in the United Kingdom. It's been a fun and exciting journey.

Me: It sure sounds exciting! What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

JUNE:  I enjoy spending my down time reading, cooking, sewing, visiting museums and historic homes and quilt shows, listening to music, and walking around parks and botanical gardens.  In the summer we especially enjoy listening to baseball on the radio and visiting county fairs and our California State Fair.

Me:  That sounds so nice and relaxing. What was your favorite part of writing 'A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom' ?

JUNE:   I enjoyed the fact that Cedar Fort's 2013 Holiday Tale Contest call for submissions didn't ask for a 'formula' story containing this, that, and the other. It was a rather open-ended call, so I felt like I could stretch myself out of my comfort zone and write a story with a strong positive and uplifting message. It's fun to be able to create the characters and build a setting with no one looking over my shoulder saying—"No, that won't work."  When I got to an obstacle in the story, I'm the one who needed to problem solve and figure out a viable resolution. I frequently remind myself I'm writing  fiction. Sometimes critics write comments and reviews about works of fiction implying that what happened in a particular book couldn't happen in real life. Well, yes—that's the beauty and joy of fiction!

Now that my book has been out since October 8th, 2013, my favorite part of the whole process has been the positive feedback from readers and bloggers about the book's effect on their attitudes about Christmas and love and helping their community in times of need. Those feelings are absolutely the reason I wrote the story.

Me:  Sounds like you found a writing process that works perfectly for you, and you definitely succeeded in writing a story with a positive and uplifting message! Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition?

JUNE:  I enjoy driving around to see the Christmas lights and house and yard decorations people in our community set up for others to enjoy. I like to tour historic homes when they are dressed up for the holidays. I enjoy watching my two versions of 'The Nutcracker Ballet' and the George C. Scott version of Charles Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol'.

Me: Oh, I love Christmas lights - they are so beautiful, and I can always be found either watching a Christmas movie or reading a Christmas book! 

I loved the faith displayed throughout 'A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom' ! Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

JUNE:  My favorite verse since I was a teenager has been Psalm 27:1: 'The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?'

Me: That's a wonderful verse to keep in mind! 'A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom'  is your debut, are you working on or planning another short story or novel?

JUNE:  I'm polishing my first full-length novel, a contemporary inspirational romance set in the coastal mountains of Northern California. I'm also working on some other ideas including another Christmas story.

Me: Sounds interesting and beautiful. I'll definitely need to read them when they come out!

RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS:

Favorite animal?  Horses

Favorite season?  Autumn

Favorite place you’ve been to and number one place you want to go?  

We love to vacation on the California coast. It's beautiful on the central coast in Cambria and on the northern coast in Mendocino or Eureka. There are many places I'd like to visit some day, but one thing we hope to do is to visit the historic homes of past presidents and other homes, gardens, and museums in the Ohio area.

Favorite Christmas movie?  

I mentioned a couple of favorite movies earlier, but I also enjoy Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas' starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Danny Kaye. It's so colorful and fun, and the music is exceptional!

Thank you very much for inviting me to share with your readers, Lakin. I appreciate your hospitality. I've enjoyed getting to know you through our correspondence these past couple of months. I'd like to mention that I love to hear from readers. People can connect with me on my website/blog at www.junemccraryjacobs.com, on my Author's Facebook page, or through email at:  junemccraryjacobs [at] gmail [dot] com.  I'm also on Goodreads, and I have an Amazon Author Page. Links to all of those platforms are on my website.