Hi y'all! You might have noticed that I haven't been very active on here for the past few weeks - reason being, I had to switch web host providers and that's been a nightmare. 😣 But we're now up and running again, thank God, and to celebrate here's an interview with one of my favorite authors! As you'll recall from a previous post, she's coming out with Book 3 in her medieval adventure series soon, and I'm SUPER EXCITED about it!!! So without more ado, allow me to introduce Given Hoffman! 👏

1.) Welcome to the blog, Given!  Would you start by sharing the inspiration and writing journey behind the MARKED series?

Thank you for having me, Phoebe. I appreciate this opportunity to talk about MARKED.

This story has been over ten years in the making, and it started really as the question: What would it be like to be a second-born royal, where you don't have the power or responsibility of the throne but you do have all the public pressure of living up to the name and position of being royalty. Prince Gage's story grew from that concept. 

At first the storyline included the possibility of Gage's older brother dying or abdicating the throne, and Gage being thrust into that position, but as the story unfolded I eventually realized I didn't want that trope. So, Gage's journey takes a far different turn, and one of the elements that I love in this story is that despite conflict between Gage and his older brother, Haaken, the two of them aren't rivals for power and are actually really close and care a lot about each other. 

2.) What drew you to the medieval time period?

When you're dealing with kingdoms and royalty, the concepts just kind of lend themselves to being envisioned in a medieval setting, and while picturing Gage, he just fit more with swords and horses than with firearms and vehicles.

#truth 😆

3.) Which part of the Middle Ages (early, high, or late) would you say MARKED belongs in?

I didn't pick a specific medieval period for this story. Rather I researched the medieval time period as a whole and tried to make Gage's world feel as authentically real to a medieval setting as I could without locking the story into a specific time or place in our world's history. Gage's life thus exists in a fictional setting but in a very normal world. There are no fantasy elements included. Everything in this story could exist and be experienced in real life.

4.) Do you have a favorite character from MARKED?  I know that's an unfair question, but I had to ask. 

Wick has actually become a favorite character for me. He shows up in the first book as a knight who's willing to push back against Gage's questionable decisions but who follows orders regardless. So from book one there was already a knowledge of Wick having the guts to defy and yet also having an overarching faithfulness to his duty to serve, which made him an interesting paradox and admirable. When I brought him in as a point of view in book two, Wick's personality really grew in some unexpected ways. His backstory as the youngest of seven brothers, who had to earn his place and who had to become kind of a diplomat to survive, lent itself to some really interesting controversy of how he is perceived by others and also in the interactions between him and Gage. Their differences, especially in the way Wick sees Gage's position and opportunities, brought out a unique layer to how a leader using their power well or neglecting to use their power well can impact everyone around them. Wick's perspective really spoke to a view that hadn't been part of the first book, and because of this he helps the reader see Gage in a different light. And Wick's unique view only continues to contribute well to the story in book three, which is something I enjoyed exploring and pulling out as he navigates the ins and outs of traveling with royalty.

(Aaahhhh, I love Wick too!!!)

5.) What does a typical writing day look like for you?

A typical day writing looks like sitting down and putting hours of work in on whatever needs doing that day. This might be writing, reviewing, researching, editing, etc. If I'm still in the initial writing phase, I start by reviewing back a few pages or perhaps even a few chapters depending on what part I'm working on next and what builds into it. I then trek into building the scene. I try really hard to write in such a way that my readers can really picture and experience what is happening in the story. I want it to flow and be enjoyed, kind of like a movie. It takes a lot of time to weave the different layers into each scene. When I'm doing this well, I'm asking myself questions like what would this look like, sound like, feel like, smell like, or even taste like? I'm finding ways to bring the scenes alive with descriptions that incorporate the senses, emotions, body language, and so on. So asking, what is this character feeling inside right now? Or what would this other character look like if they were angry, sad, frustrated, fearful, etc.? So yeah, there are numerous ways I might spend my time even while working to get the story on the page. 

6.) Is there anything you wish you'd known before you started writing?

Writing back before I understood what I needed to do better and how much work my initial writing needed, I wrote and simply enjoyed the journey. I was carefree and could just have fun. So, no, I don't wish I had known more before starting writing, because the freedom of unhindered creation is a joy unlike any other. That being said, I did learn a lot along the way after starting writing, and I am so thankful that I did, because that knowledge transformed my writing from a story I was trying to tell my readers to something that really came alive and could be experienced. Good fiction writing is far more difficult than most people realize, which is true of most arts really. Yes, there is natural talent, but even the naturally talented need to understand the rules of how others interact in that artistic realm so that they can craft their art in a way that others can enjoy it. For instance, if the great composers of music had never learned the skills and rules of how to properly write down their music, it is possible we would not still be able to enjoy their music today.

7.) Are there any lessons you've learned or things God has shown you in your writing?

Oh goodness, yes. There are so many lessons I have learned and things God has taught me while writing. Perseverance being one of them. Trusting God to lead in what He wants me doing is another. I've also learned many things with my characters when God challenges me by something I'm having my character deal with in the story. I've learned not to hesitate when it comes to research but to enjoy learning in a way I never did while in school. I've learned many lessons about the value of paths that were not the ones I wanted to journey. We often learn the most while in the places we didn't want to be. 

(Oh goodness, yes. Sometimes writing through something is the best way to learn!)

8.) Who are some authors that have influenced you?

I would say I've been influenced by all the authors I've read over the years, but if I had to pick a few that have had significant impact on why and how I write today I would say: Lois Walfrid Johnson, Chuck Black, Dee Henderson, Davis Bunn, Jerry Jenkins, Randy Alcorn, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead, and Eric Ludy. 

9.) If I remember correctly, you hate coffee, so what is your favorite drink?

Lol, true. I don't like coffee. I would have to say my all time favorite hot drink is hot chocolate made with Hershey's chocolate chips melted into milk with raspberry flavoring and whipped cream on top.

10.) Before we go, is there a favorite (spoiler-free) scene from The Healer's Secret that you'd like to share?

Hmm, let's see there are so many good scenes. One of my favorites, though, is when a boy named Tobias ends up doing something rather unexpected and saves one of the characters (I can't tell you who or what he does or else I'll spoil the scene). But some writing backstory on this: Tobias and his introductory scene have existed in my head way back when I was still working on book 2 of this series. Not usually do side characters have scenes a long time in advance, but Tobias's introductory scene contributes to the healer's story and is thus why the scene has been around for a while. So I've been anticipating getting to create Tobias on paper for a long time. Now, typically scenes that have been floating in my head don't turn out exactly the way I've envisioned them, which can be disappointing, but Tobias's scene did turn out. He then surprised me and ended up contributing more to the story, which resulted in him being a main part of a second scene that I really loved.

Thank you so much for joining me, Given! And y'all, if you like clean, realistic medieval adventure with no romance (yay!!!) do check out MARKED! It's an amazing series!