Today we’d like to welcome Australian author Claire Spencer-Christensen to the blog. Claire has recently released her first novel, More Than Sparrows, the first book in the ‘White unto Harvest’ series.
We’ll start with our Fast Five: five quick questions so we can get to know Claire better!
Kiwis or koalas?
Koalas; Kiwis are cute too
Cricket or rugby?
Cricket, less physical!
Books or TV?
Books, always books
Desert or sea?
Love both
Plotter or pantser?
Pantser
Getting to Know Claire Spencer-Christensen
What’s something interesting or unusual about you that not everyone knows?
I changed careers after raising my five children and left teaching for social work once I came back into the workforce. Writing has always hovered in the back of my brain and the hyphenated author ‘pen name’ is a combination of my parent’s last names, acknowledging their DNA in contributing to my launch as a writer.
Where are you from?
I’m a Western Australian and spent my early years in the Kimberley/ Pilbara regions as my father was in mining and I still have a deep love for the extreme beauty of both places . While teaching, I met my husband in romantic Derby, one of the hottest, most humid places around!
What is your town or city most famous (or infamous) for?
I live in a tiny tourist town in the south west near Margaret River which is known for its wineries and Perth, the capital city (and the state generally) is known for its love of football!
What do you write?
Contemporary Christian Fiction.
Who or what are your main writing influences?
Several … James Michener and Leon Uris before I became a Christian. Francine Rivers, Colleen Coble, Phillip Yancey and Frank Peretti after that decision.
Do you have any books published?
Yes. ‘More Than Sparrows.’ It’s Book One of the series ‘White unto Harvest.’
How long have you been writing?
I started back in 2002 when I stopped working for a time due to some health concerns, but left a completed manuscript in a drawer once I recovered. It remained there till 2013 when I decided to take another look at it.
What inspired you to start writing?
It was after I left high school chaplaincy. I’d been working with parents, teachers, students, families, all struggling to cope with situations and difficulties without God in their lives and it left me with a burden for their eternal futures. My role, at that time, prevented me from having any discussion about Jesus with them unless it was initiated by the client. I always abided by that regulation, but on leaving that role, I was driven to put my thoughts and feelings about my experiences down on paper. Although completely fictional, each book in the series carries a message about the importance of outreach to those around us because we never know how God will use every encounter.
What’s your favourite part of the writing process?
That initial trigger of an idea that energises me and the words flow out like a torrent onto the page, filling me with anticipation, and in some instances, excitement at the way the story is unfolding. I usually have a theme, an idea pushing up from my spirit, but generally do not have any clear indication of how it’s all going to plane out, apart from the ending. I know where I want to head, what I want to say, but am never clear about how I’m going to get there. Clearly a pantser!
What’s your biggest writing challenge?
Completely the trilogy. In the beginning, I only planned to write one novel, but when I had the original manuscript critiqued, the assessor suggested it was covering too many issues in too short a time span and suggested I consider writing a series. Book 2 of the series is already written, but researching Book 3 is going to be a challenge as it is based completely in Israel and will take time. I will have to be totally focused and lock myself away for long periods of time to do it well and round out the story. There may even be a Book 4? I don’t really know…
How does your faith impact your writing?
My faith is central core to my life and definitely is the motivation for the kind of stories I write now, but I’ve always wanted to write. My father used to write us stories as children, highly commended in several writing competitions, so it wasn’t a new idea, but something I aspired to do ‘later.’ Much later, as it turned out, and it was only after I became a Christian that I had the motivation and focus to settle to it and deliver the message bubbling away in my heart.
Find Claire Spencer-Christensen online at:
Website | Amazon | Books2Read
Lovely to meet you, Claire – I have just bought the Kindle version of your book!
Hi Claire, My apologies for commenting so late. Congratulations on your book release! 😊