Author Interview: Helen Bea Kirk- author of Shepherds' Mayday

Hello Everyone! Today I’m happy to share author interview with Helen Bea Kirk- author of Shepherds’ Mayday.

(Click on this headline to visit book page on Goodreads)

Drake knows something must change. His personal life is about to be the ruination of his professional career. Jerod doesn’t know it yet, but the solution to his own problem lies with someone else’s death. The Shepherd brothers’ silent pleas for help are heard, but no one could imagine how the answers would come.
Life-changing events, forces of nature, life-saving surgeries and a bizarre twist of fate that some might call a miracle. These are the events that tie together the lives of bored, playboy dentist, Drake Shepherd, his munitions expert FBI agent brother, Jerod, a famous composer and a palm reader who owns a tanning business. The mingling and merging of these and other souls is a tale that will transport you from the beach elegance of Santa Barbara to the insane yachting party life aboard the Wide Open, in New York. From our nation’s capital where a horrendous accident has Jerod clinging to life, to the Oklahoma heartland where a tornado leaves Trish and Meredith homeless.
Helen Bea Kirk will move and uplift you with this story of tragedy, loss, redemption, and belief featuring characters so vivid and so true that you will come to consider them friends.

You can read my review  here ⇓

 
Helen Bea Kirk is an American author currently residing in Texas. Early in her academic career she studied Journalism. She’s a mother of two strapping young men and wife to a wonderful, left-brained man.

 

When and why did you begin writing?

    Back in college. I had submitted a story for publishing… it never made it and I put my pen down for many years. I just lived in my head. Bedridden in 2012, I started my first book.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

    My favorite characters are highly flawed (like myself), but well-meaning and usually hard-working. I was watching the news and there was a story about an athlete who abused his girlfriend. The reverse idea of a womanizer being beat up by an abusive girlfriend when he was at his lowest… Well, let’s just say, I liked the idea, a lot.

What sort of research did you do to write this book?

    I spoke with my doctor and I did internet medical research.

What book(s) have most influenced your life?

    The Holy Bible.
    Jan Karon’s Mitford Series.
    Many books by Stephen King, Jerry Jenkins, Tim Lahaye and     Barbara Taylor Bradford

What have you written? (Books, novellas, short stories, poems, blogs, awards or anything of interest.)

    All novels, each about two hundred pages.
    The Bachelor of Belmead
    Returned To Me
    Shepherds’ Mayday
    Done Running
    What Matters Most and of course, Shepherds’ Mayday

Where can reader buy / see them? (Include relevant link(s)

    Amazon link / Smashwords link

What draws you to that particular genre?

    The excitement.

What was your favorite chapter (or part) of writing this book and why?

    My favorite? Gee, there are several. First, Drake and his screwed up social life and when he receives Meredith’s wrong umber call. Then I liked it when he chased down her daddy. I also loved and hated Jerod’s condition and trials.

What was the hardest part of writing the book? Was there anything that you deleted or altered?

    No deletions, although this book is a re-write. I felt I had to give him a brother.

Is there a message in your book that you hope readers will grasp?

    Absolutely; redemption.

If you could spend one day with character from your book/ any other book who would it be? And what would you do during that day?

    I would love to take Grandpa Lions for a walk on the beach and help Emma cook a great dinner. It would be fun to play bingo with them too!

Do you read book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?

    I read every review. Good or bad – I learn a lot. If the review is good, I re-live the reviewer’s happy moments and if the review is bad, I try to understand why. Usually, I have found, it was a situation where my book was absolutely not the reviewer’s genre of choice.

What are your future project(s)? What’s it about? (*if relevant)

    I’m currently working on a story of a promiscuous hair dresser.

If your novel made into movie which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead characters?

    Great question. Chris Hemsworth would be Jerod and Jennifer Aniston would make a good Emma. Dennis Hopper would be Mr. Lions. Jesse Eisenberg as Clay and Anne Hathaway or Melissa McCarthy as Faith.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

    Dedicate time to your characters.

What is your favorite motivational phrase?

    Just do it.

Currently reading

    Bringing up Boys, by Dr. Dobson

Favorite foods / Colors/ Music/ TV show/ Film

    Food- Salmon, steak and chocolate.
    Colors- I feel good around light colors. Blue and yellow, splashes of red.
    Music- The band, Disturbed, amazes me, but I like country music.
    TV Shows- Nothing like a good crime/drama. Currently watching all the past episodes of Burn Notice.
    Favorite movie: The Lake House

Describe yourself in 5 words.

    Caring, creative, entrepreneurial, busy and fun-loving.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

    I hope you are moved by what you read.

To whom you will recommend your book?

    It’s probably easier to say what my books are not. They are not erotica, fantasy, paranormal, science fiction or Christian.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

          Thank you. I feel honored.

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter: @peninhand / Goodreads /

Pinterest: helen bea kirk
Smashwords /  Book Links
Many Thanks to author for taking the time out of her busy schedule to take part in this interview.

I have decided to change look of my blog a little from this post onward, minor efforts of making it beautiful. Hope you guys like it.

What do you think about this interview? Have you read any books by Helen Bea Kirk? Do you have any questions for author?
Happy Reading! 🙂