Interview with Deborah Raney

First off, tell us about your most recent published book or your most recent work in progress.

Just yesterday, I turned in the rewrite for my October release, Reason to Breathe, the first book in my new Chandler Sisters Novels series. Being the oldest of four sisters, it was fascinating to explore sister relationships in this book about the eldest of the Chandler sisters, Phylicia. After caring for their mom through her death from cancer, the Chandler sisters are shocked when their father moves to Florida to be with a much younger woman. Feeling adrift, and needing to invest an inheritance from their mother, the sisters buy a property and begin the process of renovating three cottages they hope to turn into an Airbnb. Like most of my novels, each of the books will have a strong thread of romance. I can’t help it: I’m a firm believer that love makes the world go round.

What three things about you would surprise your readers?

Our four children are all grown now, but they were born in three different decades—one in the ‘70s, two in the ‘80s, and one in the ‘90s. And they all weighed over nine pounds with our oldest tipping the scales at 9 pounds, 10 ounces!

I speak fluent Pig Latin. It was the “secret language” my parents spoke when they didn’t want us kids to understand, but one night at supper, Daddy taught us all how to speak it. (My mom was none too happy with him. LOL!)

The night before I got my first contract offer, I witnessed a murder at our local grocery store. I used the emotions and terror of that experience when I wrote my novel A Scarlet Cord, which tells the story of a man in the witness protection program because he witnessed a murder.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I am a terrible multi-tasker, so I really struggle with life’s interruptions. If I could just hole up in a cabin somewhere for three months with no responsibilities, no interactions with friends or family, and no internet to distract me, I’d be able to finish an entire book and would spend a lot less time trying to make my plot cohesive. My husband is very supportive and helps with meals and keeping my calendar clear when I’m on deadline. My simple, but best solution, is to wear headphones when I write. Usually I have movie soundtracks (no vocals) playing through the headphones, which for me, greatly enhances the mood of the scene I’m writing, but sometimes just wearing the headphones with no sound helps me to concentrate (and signals to my husband or people in the coffee shop that I shouldn’t be disturbed!)

What are your recommendations for a great summer read, and why?

I’ve read two really excellent books recently. Francine Rivers’s The Masterpiece is a unique contemporary novel about how God can redeem even the most seemingly hopeless lives. Where Hope Begins by Catherine West is a story of grace in the midst of brokenness. It points to the miracles God has for us when we look beyond our own expectations and trust in Him.

Thank you so much, Deborah. It has been an honor to kick off my Summer Series with your interview. I look forward to reading Reason to Breathe when it comes out in October.

DEBORAH RANEY’s first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Twenty years later, thirty books, and numerous awards later, she’s still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her awards include RWA’s RITA Award, ACFW’s Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. Deborah is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. She and husband, Ken Raney, traded small-town life in Kansas for life in the friendly city of Wichita. They love traveling to visit four grown children and a growing brood of grandchildren who all live much too far away. Find out more about Deb’s newest releases at her website .