Jocelyn
Green is an award-winning author who inspires faith and courage in her
readers through both fiction and nonfiction. A former military wife
herself, she offers encouragement and hope to military wives worldwide
through her Faith Deployed ministry. Her novels, inspired by real
heroines on America’s home front, are marked by their historical
integrity and gritty inspiration.
Jocelyn
graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a B.A. in
English, concentration in writing. She is an active member of the
Evangelical Press Association, Christian Authors Network, the Advanced
Writers and Speakers Association, American Christian Fiction Writers,
and the Military Writers Society of America.
She loves Mexican food, Broadway musicals, Toblerone chocolate bars, the color red, and reading on her patio. Jocelyn lives with her husband Rob and two small children in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The following is a January 2014 interview with Jocelyn.
She loves Mexican food, Broadway musicals, Toblerone chocolate bars, the color red, and reading on her patio. Jocelyn lives with her husband Rob and two small children in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The following is a January 2014 interview with Jocelyn.
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW
Be in to win a copy of
Wedded to War
by Jocelyn Green
One digital copy to be won
Contest open to entrants worldwide.
Contest runs from 17 - 31 January NZDT
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW
Be in to win a copy of
Wedded to War
by Jocelyn Green
One digital copy to be won
Contest open to entrants worldwide.
Contest runs from 17 - 31 January NZDT
Tell us a little about yourself.
First and foremost, I'm a child of God, a fellow sojourner with my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
Beyond that--I have a degree in writing from Taylor University, and both my fiction and nonfiction books have won national awards here in the States. But I'm most proud of my role as wife and mom. I homeschool our kids (ages five and seven) and read whenever possible. Since my husband was in the Coast Guard, I developed devotional books and a ministry to military wives called Faith Deployed before I even considered writing fiction. I love Toblerone chocolate, Broadway musicals, Mexican food, the color red, and traveling (literally or vicariously). Life is full and beautiful.
What inspired you to become a novelist, and did you always want to write?
I always wanted to write, ever since I could hold a pencil. But since college, I focused on nonfiction. I was trained as a journalist, and after several years of freelance magazine writing and editorial work, I began writing devotional books. It was during the research for my nonfiction book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front, that I was inspired to try historical fiction. I was so inspired by reading real diaries of women who lived 150 years ago, I really wanted to give them a voice again and bring their stories back to life.
First and foremost, I'm a child of God, a fellow sojourner with my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
Beyond that--I have a degree in writing from Taylor University, and both my fiction and nonfiction books have won national awards here in the States. But I'm most proud of my role as wife and mom. I homeschool our kids (ages five and seven) and read whenever possible. Since my husband was in the Coast Guard, I developed devotional books and a ministry to military wives called Faith Deployed before I even considered writing fiction. I love Toblerone chocolate, Broadway musicals, Mexican food, the color red, and traveling (literally or vicariously). Life is full and beautiful.
What inspired you to become a novelist, and did you always want to write?
I always wanted to write, ever since I could hold a pencil. But since college, I focused on nonfiction. I was trained as a journalist, and after several years of freelance magazine writing and editorial work, I began writing devotional books. It was during the research for my nonfiction book, Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front, that I was inspired to try historical fiction. I was so inspired by reading real diaries of women who lived 150 years ago, I really wanted to give them a voice again and bring their stories back to life.
What do you think is significant about Christian fiction?
Christian fiction offers readers a way to see God working in a variety of scenarios without being preachy. It's a clean and uplifting experience that can not only entertain, but edify and exhort, as well. My particular books deal with a very ugly time in American history--the Civil War. But I write about it confidently, because God was bigger than that darkness, and He is bigger than whatever we are going through today. There is nothing He cannot handle.
How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write?
My goal with all of my books, both fiction and nonfiction, is to inspire faith and courage in my readers. I want the stories to cause personal reflection in each reader, which is why I include discussion questions in every book. Words are powerful. Stories are powerful. I believe God can use them to touch readers in ways that I couldn't even imagine.
What has been the most surprising aspect to becoming a published novelist?
I've been the most surprised at how generous and kind the community of Christian novelists has been. I have sensed no spirit of competition, but one of remarkable cooperation and goodwill. I think we all recognize that there is room for all of our books, and we love spreading the word about each others' stories.
Christian fiction offers readers a way to see God working in a variety of scenarios without being preachy. It's a clean and uplifting experience that can not only entertain, but edify and exhort, as well. My particular books deal with a very ugly time in American history--the Civil War. But I write about it confidently, because God was bigger than that darkness, and He is bigger than whatever we are going through today. There is nothing He cannot handle.
How do you hope your readers react to the stories you write?
My goal with all of my books, both fiction and nonfiction, is to inspire faith and courage in my readers. I want the stories to cause personal reflection in each reader, which is why I include discussion questions in every book. Words are powerful. Stories are powerful. I believe God can use them to touch readers in ways that I couldn't even imagine.
What has been the most surprising aspect to becoming a published novelist?
I've been the most surprised at how generous and kind the community of Christian novelists has been. I have sensed no spirit of competition, but one of remarkable cooperation and goodwill. I think we all recognize that there is room for all of our books, and we love spreading the word about each others' stories.
How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
I've grown to love and claim an even wider variety of Scripture. It used to be that certain verses apply to my life more than others, or so it seemed. But now when I read the Bible, I can see how different promises would be so meaningful to my characters--which really represent real people living today. Redeemed prostitutes. Prodigal sons. Men and women freed from bondage. Refugees and outcasts. Relating to these people has given me a broader vision of who God is to each one of us. It's absolutely amazing how much He loves us.
Other than being a novelist, what other goals do you have for your life?
I wouldn't even say that being a novelist is a life goal. It's something I'm doing right now, but it's secondary to my primary goals of being the best wife and mother I can be. I'm a wife and mom first, and writing falls in around the edges.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
What spare time? :) If I had any, I would read more books for fun. I would scrapbook and knit. Maybe I would play the piano again.
What can you tell us about your debut novel?
That would be Wedded to War. It’s April 1861, and the Union Army’s Medical Department is a disaster, completely unprepared for the magnitude of war. A small group of New York City women, including 28-year-old Charlotte Waverly, decide to do something about it, and end up changing the course of the war, despite criticism, ridicule and social ostracism. Charlotte leaves a life of privilege, wealth–and confining expectations–to be one of the first female nurses for the Union Army. She quickly discovers that she’s fighting more than just the Rebellion by working in the hospitals. Corruption, harassment, and opposition from Northern doctors threaten to push her out of her new role. At the same time, her sweetheart disapproves of her shocking strength and independence, forcing her to make an impossible decision: Will she choose love and marriage, or duty to a cause that seems to be losing? An Irish immigrant named Ruby O’Flannery, who turns to the unthinkable in the face of starvation, holds the secret that will unlock the door to Charlotte’s future.
I've grown to love and claim an even wider variety of Scripture. It used to be that certain verses apply to my life more than others, or so it seemed. But now when I read the Bible, I can see how different promises would be so meaningful to my characters--which really represent real people living today. Redeemed prostitutes. Prodigal sons. Men and women freed from bondage. Refugees and outcasts. Relating to these people has given me a broader vision of who God is to each one of us. It's absolutely amazing how much He loves us.
Other than being a novelist, what other goals do you have for your life?
I wouldn't even say that being a novelist is a life goal. It's something I'm doing right now, but it's secondary to my primary goals of being the best wife and mother I can be. I'm a wife and mom first, and writing falls in around the edges.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
What spare time? :) If I had any, I would read more books for fun. I would scrapbook and knit. Maybe I would play the piano again.
What can you tell us about your debut novel?
That would be Wedded to War. It’s April 1861, and the Union Army’s Medical Department is a disaster, completely unprepared for the magnitude of war. A small group of New York City women, including 28-year-old Charlotte Waverly, decide to do something about it, and end up changing the course of the war, despite criticism, ridicule and social ostracism. Charlotte leaves a life of privilege, wealth–and confining expectations–to be one of the first female nurses for the Union Army. She quickly discovers that she’s fighting more than just the Rebellion by working in the hospitals. Corruption, harassment, and opposition from Northern doctors threaten to push her out of her new role. At the same time, her sweetheart disapproves of her shocking strength and independence, forcing her to make an impossible decision: Will she choose love and marriage, or duty to a cause that seems to be losing? An Irish immigrant named Ruby O’Flannery, who turns to the unthinkable in the face of starvation, holds the secret that will unlock the door to Charlotte’s future.
What stories can your fans expect from you in the days ahead?
Well, the second book in the Heroines Behind the Lines series is already out--Widow of Gettysburg. The third comes out in June 2014--Yankee in Atlanta. The fourth is called Spy of Richmond, but you'll have to wait until spring of 2015 for that one.
[Note: These books do not need to be read in succession.]
What would you like to say to your upcoming fans in New Zealand and around the world?
While my novels, so far, are set in the U.S.A. during the American Civil War, the themes you'll find between the pages are universal to us all, no matter where you live. Forgiveness, redemption, mercy, reconciliation, and above all, faith and courage. They are not just war stories, but stories of the heart and the resilience of the human spirit, by the grace of God.
Do you have any parting words?
Please come visit me at www.jocelyngreen.com and connect on Facebook! I'd love to meet you!
Well, the second book in the Heroines Behind the Lines series is already out--Widow of Gettysburg. The third comes out in June 2014--Yankee in Atlanta. The fourth is called Spy of Richmond, but you'll have to wait until spring of 2015 for that one.
[Note: These books do not need to be read in succession.]
What would you like to say to your upcoming fans in New Zealand and around the world?
While my novels, so far, are set in the U.S.A. during the American Civil War, the themes you'll find between the pages are universal to us all, no matter where you live. Forgiveness, redemption, mercy, reconciliation, and above all, faith and courage. They are not just war stories, but stories of the heart and the resilience of the human spirit, by the grace of God.
Do you have any parting words?
Please come visit me at www.jocelyngreen.com and connect on Facebook! I'd love to meet you!
Wedded to War
Tending to the army's sick and wounded meant leading a life her mother does not understand and giving up a handsome and approved suitor. Yet Charlotte chooses a life of service over privilege, just as her childhood friend had done when he became a military doctor. She soon discovers that she's combatting more than just the rebellion by becoming a nurse. Will the two men who love her simply stand by and watch as she fights her own battles? Or will their desire for her wage war on her desire to serve God?
Wedded to War is a work of fiction, but the story is inspired by the true life of Civil War nurse Georgeanna Woolsey. Woolsey's letters and journals, written over 150 years ago, offer a thorough look of what pioneering nurses endured. This is the first in the series "Heroines Behind the Lines: Civil War," a collection of novels that highlights the crucial contributions made by women during times of war.
Wedded to War is a Christy Award nominated title for best new author.
Purchase Wedded to War:
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle | The Book Depository]
Tending to the army's sick and wounded meant leading a life her mother does not understand and giving up a handsome and approved suitor. Yet Charlotte chooses a life of service over privilege, just as her childhood friend had done when he became a military doctor. She soon discovers that she's combatting more than just the rebellion by becoming a nurse. Will the two men who love her simply stand by and watch as she fights her own battles? Or will their desire for her wage war on her desire to serve God?
Wedded to War is a work of fiction, but the story is inspired by the true life of Civil War nurse Georgeanna Woolsey. Woolsey's letters and journals, written over 150 years ago, offer a thorough look of what pioneering nurses endured. This is the first in the series "Heroines Behind the Lines: Civil War," a collection of novels that highlights the crucial contributions made by women during times of war.
Wedded to War is a Christy Award nominated title for best new author.
Purchase Wedded to War:
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle | The Book Depository]
Widow of Gettysburg
For all who have suffered great loss of heart, home, health or family; true home and genuine lasting love can be found.
When a horrific battle rips through Gettysburg, the farm of Union widow Liberty Holloway is disfigured into a Confederate field hospital, bringing her face to face with unspeakable suffering-and a Confederate scout who awakens her long dormant heart.
But when the scout doesn't die she discovers he isn't who he claims to be .
While Liberty's future crumbles as her home is destroyed, the past comes rushing back to Bella, a former slave and Liberty's hired help, when she finds herself surrounded by Southern soldiers, one of whom knows the secret that would place Liberty in danger if revealed.
In the wake of shattered homes and bodies, Liberty and Bella struggle to pick up the pieces the battle has left behind. Will Liberty be defined by the tragedy in her life, or will she find a way to triumph over it?
Inspired by first-person accounts from women who lived in Gettysburg during the battle and its aftermath, Widow of Gettysburg is the Book 2 in the Heroines Behind the Lines series.
FREE: Widow of Gettysburg Sampler (Kindle)
Purchase Widow of Gettysburg:
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle | The Book Depository]
For all who have suffered great loss of heart, home, health or family; true home and genuine lasting love can be found.
When a horrific battle rips through Gettysburg, the farm of Union widow Liberty Holloway is disfigured into a Confederate field hospital, bringing her face to face with unspeakable suffering-and a Confederate scout who awakens her long dormant heart.
But when the scout doesn't die she discovers he isn't who he claims to be .
While Liberty's future crumbles as her home is destroyed, the past comes rushing back to Bella, a former slave and Liberty's hired help, when she finds herself surrounded by Southern soldiers, one of whom knows the secret that would place Liberty in danger if revealed.
In the wake of shattered homes and bodies, Liberty and Bella struggle to pick up the pieces the battle has left behind. Will Liberty be defined by the tragedy in her life, or will she find a way to triumph over it?
Inspired by first-person accounts from women who lived in Gettysburg during the battle and its aftermath, Widow of Gettysburg is the Book 2 in the Heroines Behind the Lines series.
FREE: Widow of Gettysburg Sampler (Kindle)
Purchase Widow of Gettysburg:
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle | The Book Depository]
Yankee in Atlanta
When soldier Caitlin McKae wakes up in Atlanta wounded in battle, the Georgian doctor treating her believes her only secret is that Caitlin had been fighting for the Confederacy disguised as a man. In order to avoid arrest or worse, Caitlin hides her true identity as a Union loyalist and makes a new life for herself in Atlanta.
Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess for Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who is about to enlist with the Rebel army-when the Federal army threatens his homeland, he feels he must defend Georgia to protect his daughter.
Once he leaves, Caitlin is in charge of seven-year-old Analiese. Thieves steal much of her food supply, and Noah isn't paid for months. Soaring inflation makes most things unaffordable, and Caitlin and her charge fight starvation.
Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman's troops edge closer to Atlanta. Caitlin tries to escape north with the girl, but is arrested on charges of being a spy. Will honor dictate that Caitlin follow the rules, or love demand that she break them?
Pre-Order Yankee in Atlanta:
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle | The Book Depository]
When soldier Caitlin McKae wakes up in Atlanta wounded in battle, the Georgian doctor treating her believes her only secret is that Caitlin had been fighting for the Confederacy disguised as a man. In order to avoid arrest or worse, Caitlin hides her true identity as a Union loyalist and makes a new life for herself in Atlanta.
Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess for Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who is about to enlist with the Rebel army-when the Federal army threatens his homeland, he feels he must defend Georgia to protect his daughter.
Once he leaves, Caitlin is in charge of seven-year-old Analiese. Thieves steal much of her food supply, and Noah isn't paid for months. Soaring inflation makes most things unaffordable, and Caitlin and her charge fight starvation.
Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman's troops edge closer to Atlanta. Caitlin tries to escape north with the girl, but is arrested on charges of being a spy. Will honor dictate that Caitlin follow the rules, or love demand that she break them?
Pre-Order Yankee in Atlanta:
[Amazon.com | Amazon Kindle | The Book Depository]
Buy Jocelyn's Books at The Book Depository
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY
Be in to win a copy of
Wedded to War
by Jocelyn Green
One digital copy to be won
Contest open to entrants worldwide.
Contest runs from 17 - 31 January NZDT
Please comment about the interview, or leave a message for Jocelyn when making a blog post comment. Simply commenting about entering the draw or wanting to win the books does not qualify for valid entry into the draw.
All entries must be made using the Rafflecopter contest to be eligible for drawing. Winning entries drawn will have their entry options validated before being accepted - if incomplete another entry will be drawn.
Wedded to War
by Jocelyn Green
One digital copy to be won
Contest open to entrants worldwide.
Contest runs from 17 - 31 January NZDT
Please comment about the interview, or leave a message for Jocelyn when making a blog post comment. Simply commenting about entering the draw or wanting to win the books does not qualify for valid entry into the draw.
All entries must be made using the Rafflecopter contest to be eligible for drawing. Winning entries drawn will have their entry options validated before being accepted - if incomplete another entry will be drawn.
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