Author Interview | Betsy St. Amant

Today, our guest is author Betsy St. Amant, who writes contemporary inspirational fiction as well as non-fiction and many other things!

Welcome to ACW blog, Betsy! We’re glad to have you.

Tea or coffee?

COFFEEEEE! Because I’m pretty sure it makes up 45% of my bloodstream now.

Contemporary or historical novels?

If I’m writing, I prefer contemporary, for sure. If I’m reading, I truly enjoy both. Dual timeline is especially fun for me to read, since it usually gives you both! But I’m just as likely to pick up the most recent Becky Wade novel as I am the most recent Julie Klassen novel. ::shrugs:: Basically, bring me all the books!

Austen or Brontes?

Austen, all the way! So relatable and snarky. I love her voice and themes.

Staycation or travel?

I love traveling. I’d choose a trip somewhere away any day!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

More so a plotter, partly because I sell on proposal and need to have a solid synopsis of the book before it can be contracted. Lately, though, I’ve had more surprises pop up that I’ve discovered as I’ve been deep in the writing process. I guess you could say I’m hybrid!

Most creative in morning, day, or night?

Morning is my most naturally inspired time, but most of my writing happens at night and that works too. I’ve learned not to wait for the muse but just to park your rear in the seat and get to work. Usually the muse shows up!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a wife and mama in my late 30s and have been writing since I was seven years old. I went through an unwanted divorce when I turned 30 that really shook me but the Lord has restored what was broken, and now I not only have my daughter who is going into high school, I have a bonus kiddo going into middle school and a godly husband. I love reading, my adorable mini-Schnauzer, and all things coffee, Snoopy, and Gilmore Girls.

Tell us about your latest release.

I have several! I’m currently writing a nonfiction book for Kregel on Christian women and divorce, which will be released sometime in late 2023 or early 2024.

I also just released a six-in-one novella set that several authors indie-pubbed together called The 80s Rom-Com Club. Each novella is inspired by a favorite 80s movie! I chose Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and it was so much fun!

I also have a Love Inspired romance that released in September, featuring a dog shelter and a teen foster home, called Second Chance Christmas.

My most recent traditionally pubbed, trad-length novel came out this past October called Tacos for Two, which I like to describe as “You’ve Got Mail” meets “Food Truck Wars.”

How would you describe your style of novels?

I write contemporary romance with deep characterization, relatable themes, and humor. I usually incorporate some kind of food or baking into my novels, though it wasn’t always on purpose! My books always have romance as the main thing, but there are usually internal elements going on for my characters that make their stories well-rounded and multi-layered. For example, in Tacos for Two, my characters are falling in love while also navigating difficult family drama and career issues.

How does your faith impact your writing?

It impacts my writing as it does all elements of my life! 😊 All my novels are written from a Christian worldview, but some carry a heavier faith thread than others. I never try to force an inspirational plot into my books, however, though all of them are clean. (Safe for your grandma and your teenager to read!) Some of my stories naturally lend to a more overt faith element such as Love Arrives in Pieces, which features a young, divorced heroine discovering her worth and value, while other books like Tacos for Two don’t have as specific of a faith element, but vaguely addresses forgiveness.

Your books overall seem to have a food theme? Are you a big foodie? Why do you think food takes a prominent role in your novels?

As I mentioned earlier, it was sort of by accident! I wrote All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes for Zondervan several years ago, and after that, they requested I do two novellas for two different novella sets that featured weddings, so of course my character was the cake baker.

After that, I had the idea for a France-obsessed, romance-obsessed baker to have a Parisian-style bakery in the middle of nowhere Kansas, which was the setting for The Key To Love.

Then I got out of the bakery and into a food truck for Tacos for Two! In real life, I appreciate good food a lot, but am not a natural in the kitchen!

My teen daughter got all those genes, and she can make some amazing dishes.

If you could time travel anywhere to any time, where and when would you go?

This is such a hard question! I’d love to go back to the Bible days and see Jesus in person on Earth. I can’t even imagine! On a more recent level, I’d enjoy getting to visit the time and setting of Jane Austen’s novels. I love regency! It’d be fun to have coffee with C. S. Lewis too. So many choices…

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I was about seven years old when my father, who worked in I.T. his whole career, brought home our first family computer. It was a giant box of machine, the good old fashioned DOS system, and I began pecking away on that crusty keyboard! Later I started writing fan fiction when I didn’t even realize what fan fiction was! I just knew I wanted to write my own Babysitter’s Club story! Ha! It evolved from there. I wrote my first full length novel in my late teens and started attending conferences on writing when I was twenty. I acquired my agent at age 23, who sold my first Love Inspired novel when I was 24, and now I’m 22 novels/novellas in!

Where can we find your books and connect with you online?

I’m on Facebook (Betsy St. Amant Haddox), Twitter (betsystamant) and Instagram (betsystamanthaddox). I’d love for you to subscribe to my newsletter via www.betsystamant.com and take part in my monthly giveaways and fun contests (plus you get to see cute Schnauzer pics!)

Thank you for having me as your guest today!

Have you read any of Betsy St. Amant’s books?