Author Interview – Kristi Ann Hunter
Guide to Categories : Author Interview – an interview with an author, if there is no review from me, I have not read the book and cannot speak to its appropriateness for a school library
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Welcome to the Blog Tour for JustRead Rendezvous 2024, hosted, sponsored, and organized by JustRead Publicity Tours!
You are Invited
JustRead Rendezvous
November 15, 2024
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel & Conference Center Chicago-Downers Grove
Join fellow readers and authors at the JustRead Rendezvous to celebrate Christian fiction and sweet reads. This event, modeled after the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat, aims to sweeten reading and storytelling experiences with fellowship and encouragement. Activities will include corporate worship, speaker sessions, author panels, small group discussions, games, giveaways, a pop-up book shop, and author signings.
Baker Publishing Group fiction imprints (Bethany House and Revell), Enclave Publishing, and Kregel Publications have joined JustRead Publicity Tours as event sponsors.
Learn more about the 2024 JustRead Rendezvous
Participating Authors
first row: Amanda Barratt, Amanda Cox, Amanda Dykes, Angela Ruth Strong, Becky Wade, Elizabeth Goddard, Elizabeth Musser, Emily Conrad, Gabrielle Meyer. second row: Janilise Lloyd, Kate Breslin, Katie Powner, Kimberley Woodhouse, Kristi Ann Hunter, Laura Frantz, Linda MacKillop, Lisa Phillips, Lynn Austin. third row: Mesu Andrews, Nancy Mehl, Nicole Deese, Robin W. Pearson, Ronie Kendig, Sara Brunsvold, Sara Davison, Sara Ella, Sara Watterson
Keynote speakers include Amanda Dykes, Becky Wade, and Ronie Kendig. Kimberley Woodhouse and Lisa Phillips will lead worship. More authors will be added to the event as reader registration increases!
Check out recent releases by participating authors in the JustRead Amazon Storefront.
Author Interview – Kristi Ann Hunter
When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
The desire has been there off and on since I was little. I remember being on vacation with my family and writing stories on those little pads of paper in hotel rooms. The first time I ever officially said it was in a 3rd grade creative writing project. Over time practicality dampened the idea, but I returned to it when I was up in the middle of the night with little babies, with a desire to tell the stories in my head but having to do so in a quiet manner. This time I was in a position to make it a reality.
When you are not writing, what other hats do you wear? What do you do for fun?
I’m a wife, a mom, a church volunteer. Of course, each of those roles comes with a dozen additional hats. There are days when I feel like I am four different people and each of them has a full day’s work to do. When I have time to relax, I read, of course, and occasionally watch TV. I tend to be a binge watcher, so it goes in spurts. I also enjoy messing around on Instagram. It’s really fun when I get to call that work, too. As my family gets older, hanging out with them turns into more of a fun thing and less of a job.
What is your favorite genre to read? What about that genre draws you?
I am a romance girlie. When I step out of that genre, it’s usually fantasy, but even there I like a romance subplot at least. What I like about romance is the humanity of it. I am fascinated by human nature, how we connect, how we perceive each other and ourselves, how we grow and change because of the people around us. Romance focuses on those while still being fun (if you choose the rom-coms like I do).
How does your faith play out in your writing?
I didn’t set out to write Christian books. Instead, I wanted to write books with Christian characters. I wanted to see people like me living life on the page. To this day, this is still my goal. That means some books have a lot of faith content while others have barely any. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t need God, but there are certainly days where I am far more aware and intentional about it. The same can be said for my characters. I don’t think about the spiritual lesson when I write a book. I just put believers into a situation and let their faith influence how they work that out.
What was most memorable to you about last year’s Rendezvous?
I loved throwing things at people in such a way that Carrie couldn’t stop me. 😊
Why do you enjoy attending reader events like Rendezvous, and what are you looking forward to most about this year’s event?
Writing is such a solitary thing, even when you have support groups and author retreats. Then, once the book is complete, you send it off into the world to fend for itself. Rarely do we get to see or hear about the impact the book has on the people who read it. Getting to meet readers and hear how books have touched their lives, how my book in particular has been important to them, is a beautiful moment that many authors don’t get to experience. I’m privileged to get to attend events like Rendezvous.
As a former K-12 school librarian(and since this blog is geared toward school librarians) I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?
If you go all the way down to the board books for little bitties, my favorite is Mr. Wishy-Washy. All of my children adored that book. It is one of the only board books I kept, and it has been taped together more than once. When I was a child, though, my favorite books were a series called The Saddle Club. I still have them. I think I got up to book 35 before I aged out of them.
Young Author’s Days were an important part of my work as a school librarian. What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?
Write. Now. Today. One of the pivotal reasons I am an author today is because of a middle grade author that came to visit my school. He said his first book started as a junior high writing project because he didn’t want to fail English class. As an adult I know that whatever idea he had in junior high got revamped, edited, and turned into something better than it had been, but seventh grade me heard I can write a book right now.
None of those books went anywhere, but the skills I started growing from that point formed the foundation for my writing career now. So that’s my advice. Don’t wait to start writing because you won’t get any better until you begin.
Thank you so much for joining me today Kristi Ann. It was a joy to get to know you a little better.
Views expressed in this interview/guest post do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog host.
Register
The registration fee (including a book tote, lunch, afternoon snack, and more) is $124 for readers. We’re nearing the reader registration mark to add more best-selling, debut, and indie authors to the 2024 event. Tell your friends and register today to pave the way by August 1!
Subscribe to email updates and learn more about each author on the JustRead Rendezvous website. Connect with other attendees and hopefuls in the Rendezvous Roomies & Logistics ’24 private Facebook group to arrange shared experiences or cost-sharing opportunities.
Register Now
P.S. Join us on Thursday at the same location for the Art of Writing conference and The Christy Award Winners Gala. The Christy Award honors and promotes excellence in Christian fiction and is a program of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Visit christyawards.com for more information and registration.
Giveaway
(1) winner will receive one paid registration to JustRead Rendezvous 2024 courtesy of ’23 Rendezvous author Tamara Leigh
(1) winner will receive a canvas tote bag, an A6 journal notebook with a ballpoint pen, a 12 oz enamel mug, a scented candle, and a reading blanket
(5) winners will receive a $10 egift card (Baker Book House, Christianbook, or Amazon)
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 4, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 11, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for physical prizes. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Read more Author Interview posts
This sounds like a great event with a lot of great authors. Thanks for sharing this interview.
oh that Kristi… always throwing stuff at me haha 😉 Thanks for sharing this fun interview, Jane!
Happy to do it😊
I wish I could go! It sounds like a blast!
This looks like an event I would get lost. Too much to see. Thanks for hosting.