Forgotten Memories by Penny Zeller |

Forgotten Memories Author Interview with Penny Zeller

Congratulations on the release of Forgotten Memories! What was your favorite part about writing this book? Thank you, Julie! I would have to say going in-depth into the personality of the characters. Forgotten Memories has so many fun and humorous parts, but it also has some serious and emotional scenes as well. My favorite part was the challenge of writing a complete character arc, especially for Annie and Caleb, but also for the strong secondary characters of Reverend Solomon, Charlotte, John Mark, and Zeb. To really see life through their eyes and imagine how they would respond to both the happy times and the times of struggle.

Speaking of characters, what is your favorite part of the writing process as a whole?
I love to create characters. There is something exciting about being able to give characters personalities and create situations and dialogue.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
My most difficult writing obstacle is setting priorities, sticking to them, and not wasting time on less important things on my “to-do list.” Besides writing, I am also a fitness instructor, blog regularly, am involved in ministry, and volunteer. To help myself overcome that obstacle, each morning before I climb out of bed and face the day, I ask the Lord to prepare my heart, that He guide my day, that I would use my time wisely, and that I would get accomplished only what He would have me do that day.

What made you love books?

I have loved books from the time I was a little girl. I would climb onto my mom’s lap and she would read some of my favorite books, one of which was Harry the Dirty Dog. In first grade, I won second place for most books read in a month. And when I was ten, my Aunt Kerry passed her entire collection of Trixie Belden books to me. I instantly fell in love with the series and read the books over and over again. Trixie was, of course, my favorite character. The Nancy Drew Series, Caddie Woodlawn, and Little House on the Prairie were some of my other favorites.

When I became a mom, I read to my own girls from the time they were infants. We read everything from Bible stories to Click, Clack, Moo, Cows that Type and Little Whistle.

I’ve always been an avid reader. Books take us on adventures we would never be able to go on if we never turned the pages.

Why is the theme/message of the novel important to you?

The main theme in Forgotten Memories is that we are new creations in Christ, based on 2 Corinthians 5:17. That’s important because so many times we think we are hopeless. That God couldn’t love us based on what we’ve done. That we are the sum of what we’ve done (or not done). But when we surrender our lives to Him, we are new creations. As the verse says, “the old has passed, the new has come”. This is good news! We can begin afresh and are forgiven by the One who gave His very life for us.

What are you working on right now? I am super excited to be working on the second book in the Wyoming Sunrise Series, Dreams of the Heart. This time, readers will catch a glimpse of John Mark Eliason in his own book. It’s currently available for preorder with a release date of March 2023.

Thank you again for having me as your guest, Julie. It was great to be here!

Blurb:

Some memories are best forgotten…

The Wyoming Territory is rife with lawlessness and disorder, something Annie Ledbetter and her parents discover when their wagon train is robbed. Seven years later, Annie settles into her lifelong dream as a teacher in the small town of Willow Falls. When she meets handsome rancher Caleb Eliason through a humorous misunderstanding, she is quickly drawn to his kind heart and charming smile.

Former outlaw Caleb Eliason embraces his chance at a fresh start. Gone are the days of robbing stagecoaches and wagon trains. When he falls in love with the new Willow Falls teacher, he doesn’t realize they’ve met before—under much different circumstances. When his past comes to light, will it put the growing love between them at risk?

Can forgiveness and redemption heal two broken hearts or will the past keep them from sharing a future?

Bio:

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics. Today, Penny is the author of over a dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a fitness instructor.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, cycling, gardening, and playing volleyball.

She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website www.pennyzeller.com and her blog, random thoughts from a day in the life of a wife, mom, and author, at www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com.

Social Media Links:

Website: www.pennyzeller.com

Blog: www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PennyZeller

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pennyzeller/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/penny-zeller

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/zellerpenny/

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/pennyzeller

Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/author/pennyzeller

Newsletter Sign up: https://mailchi.mp/8c1dae400a24/penny-zeller

Add Forgotten Memories to your Goodreads TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61166004-forgotten-memories?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=JxLU3k3mt3&rank=2