Author Interview with Tamera Lynn Kraft

World War 2 widow Alice Brighton returns to the safety of her home town to open a fabric shop. She decides to start a barn quilt tour to bring business to the shop and the town, but what she doesn’t know is sinister forces are using the tour for their own nefarious reasons.

Between her mysterious landlord, her German immigrant employee, her neighbors who are acting strange, and a dreamboat security expert who is trying to romance her, Alice doesn’t know who she can trust.”

I have always wanted to write a novel set in the 1940s, my favorite era. I’ve also had a desire to set a novel in a small West Virginia town. When I heard a publisher was looking for quilting novels, it all came together.

Love it when it all comes together! Since Alice is a World War II widow, what kind of research did you have to do to bring the story to life?

I love historical research, and I tend to go overboard making sure all of my research is correct when it comes to writing my next novel. This book was easier than most because I could interview my mother and uncles about what life was like in a small coal mining town during the war. The music and movies were not difficult to research because I’m a classic movie buff and I love big band music. I did have to do a lot of research about quilting, but I had another author who is an avid quilter help me with that. I also learned a lot about the beginning of the Cold War era.

Love big band music! Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman may be some of my faves. 😉 When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t remember ever not wanting to be a writer. I do remember when I was about ten years old writing my very first novel. It is cringe worthy.

Lol! I think we all feel that way about our first works. Do you only read in the historical genre or do you venture out to other ones? Care to share your current reads?

Even though I only write historical novels, I am an eclectic reader. I read everything from romance to intense thrillers. Some of the latest novels I’ve enjoy were Ted Dekker’s 30 AD, Julie Lessman’s Unfailing Love, and James Rupart’s The Five Times I Met Myself. I love anything from a Steven James or Dean Koontz novel to Redeeming Love or Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers. I don’t read a lot of sci-fi or speculative fiction, but I loved Hunger Games, so I do read it occasionally. I even will read an occasional Amish novel like Mary Ellis’ The Plain Man. I read a lot of Christian fiction, but I don’t limit myself to it. However, I do only read novels without graphic sex scenes or a lot of profanity and that have a thread of a Christian world view running through them.

I so want to read The Five Times I Met Myself. Your genre taste seem to mirror my own. I love all things Christian fiction. 🙂
If you could write any genre you haven’t, what would it be and why?

I would love to write mysteries, especially thriller. I’m a big fan of Steven James, and I also cut my teeth on Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Ellery Queen when I was young. I love novels I can’t figure out that keep me on the edge of my seat.

Me too! Last but not least, what are you working on currently? 

I’m currently writing the first of a three novel series about Jamestown Brides, women who traveled to Jamestown Colony to begin a new life. They were every bit the adventurers as their husbands were.

Tamera has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire For Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.

You can contact Tamera on her website.