I first met Kathleen Fuller through ACFW – better known as American Christian Fiction Writers. Since that time Kathy has become a critique partner and a friend. Kathy’s writing is a joy to read, so descriptive and engaging. With each of her stories I’ve been swept away by the characters. One of my favorites is her Avalon romance Special Assignment available here. It is a romance and a quick, compelling read.

Her most recent story Never Broken is part one of a continuing saga with book two Never Forsaken releasing in late 2006 or early 2007.

Here’s the blurb:

Never Broken, historical romance. Book one in the Everlasting Faith Series, Never Broken is the story of two brothers, Rory and Colm O’Leary, and two sisters, Shannon and Ainslee Cahill, and how the Irish famine affects their lives. (The characters and setting capture the story’s rich, Irish heritage in a captivating way!)

Rugged, handsome Rory has little use for the stately Irish manor where his rich aunt and uncle took him and his brother when they were orphaned. That is, until he encounters the beautiful peasant girl, Shannon, in Uncle Edwin’s rose garden. Shannon and her sister Ainslee are devastated when their ailing parents send them away from home and insist they immigrate to America. Shannon fears she’ll never again see the man who stole her heart in the Gormley rose garden. But fate has other intentions, as Rory finds when he rescues the sisters from the squalid docks of County Cork.

You can find Never Broken at Amazon
or Barnes & Noble. This book is also available at CVS Pharmacies. Check it out and then

buy this book!

and sit back for an engaging read! However, one word of caution – the ending may leave you wanting more, anxious to see what happens next. Never fear! Book two is soon to come.

On a personal note, Kathy says: “I would love to visit Ireland someday, but my favorite place I’ve ever been to is Austria. It’s a beautiful country, and I was also there at the border of Austria and Yugoslavia, when it was called Yugoslavia, right before they had civil war. Also, on a memorable note: when I was fifteen, I was in England visiting my aunt with my grandmother and cousin. We took a trip to London and unknown to us it was the Queen Mother’s Birthday. So we were standing outside Buckingham Palace and watched the procession of limos as they passed by on their way to the Queen Mother’s residence for her celebration. I was snapping pictures like crazy with my little ol’ 110. (Remember those?) When I got the pictures developed, I discovered I had snapped a shot of Princess Diana sitting next to the window. She wasn’t waving or anything, just staring straight ahead. At the time it didn’t mean much, but it does now.”

Kathy and her husband James have three children, three dogs, and a cat. Biscuit, a half beagle/half lab (and yeah, she’s weird looking but cute), Sarah, a West Highland Terrier, and Emma, a Bichon Frise. And the cat is just a cat, named Kitty because they couldn’t decide what to name her.

In her non-writing life, Kathy works as a special education teacher at a local high school. Her favorite hobby is stamping/scrapbooking, and her favorite food is chocolate, of course! She lives on a small farm in with her family in Geneva, Ohio.

One of her favorite quotes on writing includes this one: “The surest way to fail is to never try.”

I asked Kathy to give us some insight into the calling behind her writing ~

Jill: When and how did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

Kathy: I wasn’t one of those people who knew from birth that I wanted to be a writer. In high school I took a journalism course (and was promptly told that writing wasn’t my “thing”) but that was it. It wasn’t until 2000, when my kids were small and I was reading Christian romances voraciously that I thought I might try my hand at it. Once I started I was hooked.

Jill: Tell me a bit about what you write now and what you hope to write in the future.

Kathy: Right now I’m working on a couple of books—a sequel to my Irish/Scottish historical family saga series (say that three times fast) Never Broken and a Regency mystery series which hasn’t found a home yet.

Jill: If and when did you realize your writing was a calling?

Kathy: Around the time I started writing, the pastor from our church retired. His son, also a pastor, gave the sermon that Sunday morning. I remember him saying that as Christians we had to move out of our comfort zone, that we couldn’t stay in the same place all the time, even if that place made us feel good. Writing isn’t very comfortable for me. I love it, but it’s difficult, especially the first draft. Then there’s the business side of it—the rejections, trying to figure out what’s selling, how to market myself and my work, etc. There’s also the vulnerability that comes with writing. You’re putting your emotions and imagination out there for everyone to read—and to judge. As a people pleaser (I want everyone to love me and love what I do) it’s hard for me to accept that I’m not going to appeal to every editor or agent or reader out there. But despite all that, I know I’m doing what God wants me to. If he didn’t he wouldn’t have opened the doors He has, or expanded my boundaries in such a huge way.

Jill: I can relate to that. While God hasn’t exactly opened book publishing doors yet, I too, want everyone to love what I write. I’m beginning to realize that we all have different tastes, though, and we just can’t please everybody. It’s hard to accept, and it’s especially hard to be judged for our work when this is such a subjective business.

Jill: What means did God use to confirm in your heart that this is exactly what He has prepared for you to do for Him?

Kathy: He did it in a variety of ways. The first way was giving me the ability to write while I was homeschooling two young children and a toddler. He’s still helping me with that, because I’ve never been able to write full time. The year my youngest went to school full time my husband lost his job and I had to go back to work. The second way was giving me early success. I sold the first short story I ever wrote, then turned that story into a novella which sold. That confirmed it for me. However, I’ve had plenty of rejection after that, and I’ve even thought about walking away several times. But I can’t, and that’s another confirmation. If I don’t write and pursue publication I feel like I’m squandering what He gave me. And until He emphatically tells me that this season of my life is over, I’ll keep writing.

Jill: We have homeschooling in common too! I homeschooled my sons for twelve years. I commend you for being able to write and market while they were small. I could write, but marketing took a back seat—just not enough time or energy!

Jill: When and how did you come to realize that writing meant more to you than a means to meet physical monetary needs or fulfill your dreams?

Kathy: I had never thought of writing as a way to make a lot of money, especially in the beginning. My husband had a good job and earned a comfortable living, so writing was a ministry for me. But I will admit that since my husband was laid off I look at the money side of it more. Yet even if I don’t make much money with my writing, I’ll still do it, because the rewards go beyond the monetary.

Jill: How would you say that God has used writing to change you – to strengthen your faith and to make you more like Christ?

Kathy: In too many ways to count! To write Christian fiction I had to be immersed in the Word, so He brought me closer to Him through my Bible reading. He’s strengthened me by making me a bolder Christian. I still have a long way to go with that. He’s helped me with my fears—fear of rejection, fear of putting myself out there for public scrutiny, fear of failure. He’s also encircled me with a wonderful group of Christian friends who help me edify my faith every day. I can’t believe the many blessings He’s showered upon me.

Jill: Has writing opened opportunities for you to give your testimony and witness for Christ or minister to fellow believers? If so, can you give one example?

Kathy: I think doors have opened by me talking about my writing with both believers and nonbelievers. I can’t separate my faith from my writing. Discussing writing opens a dialogue, and it makes it easier to bring up Christ and faith issues in regular conversation.

For a look at all of Kathleen Fuller’s books or to get to know Kathy better you can visit her website here. Or visit her blog here

Some of Kathy’s other books include both inspirational and secular titles:

San Antonio Sunset Avalon Books (2006)
Special Assignment Avalon Books (2005) (One of my favorites!)
San Francisco Serenade Avalon Books (2005)
Santa Fe Sunrise Avalon Books (2004)
Christmas Homecoming Tyndale House Publishers (2003)
Chance Encounters Tyndale House Publishers (2003)

Kathy has appeared on the radio programs Janet Parshalls’ America and Water Through The Word. She also owns her own freelance editing business.

I hope you have enjoyed this interview with author Kathleen Fuller. Please click on over to one of the above online stores or visit your favorite CVS Pharmacy and look for Never Broken or one of her other many romance novels. You won’t be disappointed!