Merry Stahel

Folks, when I finished reading FAITH I was so emotional and in love with the story that I knew I needed to know more about the author who penned it. I went in search of Ms Stahel and asked her if she would like to do an interview with SR. Thank Goodness she said yes :) It has been a long time since I read an Inspy that took my breath away like this one. So it gives me great pleasure to introduce Ms Merry Stahel and share with you her interview questions :)


Do you have travel when researching your books? If yes, where is the most interesting place you’ve visited?
I don’t travel for researching books, but I have traveled all over the world. We’ve spent time in the Republic Of The Philippines, Guam, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Austria and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia probably had the most effect on me. I had to wear an abaya, and at times the hijab (head covering). Germany was great, my brother lives there, so he took me all over the place. The Philippines was terrific, I loved being there, too. The other places were just flying visits, but it was all fun.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I used to be a pantser, but am now a plotter. I don’t write much down, but the story is pretty much developed before I start typing.

What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
That I believe in God and I believe that life is full of good things. Even in my darkest hours, something always happened that changed my circumstances. Sometimes I wasn’t aware of it until long after. I try to convey that sense of God and hope in all my books. They may be fiction, but often, they are based on a real-life spiritual element that brought me peace.

What’s something fans would find fascinating about you?
That despite what comes across in my writing, I am not organized, although I am obsessive-compulsive about some things. I can talk the hind-leg off a donkey, I am easily amused by silly things, I adore babies and dogs, and when I am reading something that captures my interest, my family says a bomb could go off and I’d not notice. I’m also very attached to my computer, to the point that during a tornado, my sister picked up my laptop, and I followed her to the shelter under their house, still typing as she walked backwards (it was an important message I was sending out!).

Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task?
I multi-task. We live rural, so I’m often invited to walk to the bridge with neighbors, we all pile in the car to go see the baby eagles, or visit an auction/yard sale. I’m active in our church, so we do things there, too. My daughter will call and offer to meet us halfway somewhere to go to a museum, archeological dig or some tacky tourist trap. We love to travel and be tourists. Writing gets squeezed between all that.


You can erase one embarrassing experience from your past. What will it be?
A verbal jury duty session. There were 95 of us in the room and rather than questionnaires, we were all asked to stand if any of the questions applied to us. I come from a colorful family, so I was bouncing up and down like a jack-in-the-box! I now live in a small community (only a few relatives nearby) and many of the people, including fellow church-goers were there. Now everyone knows a lot about my past, and I suspect some of those funny looks I get in town are because the gossip went around like wildfire. I spoke to the judge afterwards about using written questionnaires. He said he’d take it under consideration. After all that humiliation, I was NOT selected.

If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
Keep away from children and dogs. (As soon as I pick up a baby or puppy, my husband starts yelling, “No, no, no, no, no…we don’t want anymore!”).

A biography has been written about you. What do you think the title would be?
I asked my husband and he said that “She Who Must Be Obeyed” is not a good title. I’m thinking that “Let Me Show You How To Do That” might be a good one – I constantly comment on how to fix things – American politics, dinner, training dogs, Toyota’s new ugly cars, television programming, how to re-pot a plant, organizing closets, drivers who can’t merge (I once threatened to stand on an on-ramp with a sandwich sign that said, “I will teach you how to merge”). Yes, I have a varied and verbal opinion on just about everything.

What is your favorite candy bar?
Right now it is a Butterfinger. I don’t like chocolate, except once in a while. My second favorite is a Payday. Because it has no chocolate in it.

*Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases.

CHARITY - White Rose Publishing Summer 2010
HOPE – White Rose Publishing – Summer 2010
CHRISTMAS SANCTUARY – Christmas 2010
Please share any links you would like listed in the Interview.

http://www.merrystahel.blogspot.com/

Thank you to all who stopped by. Be sure to pop over and read the review for Faith. It really knocked my socks off :)

Romance Reader