I’m excited to welcome Naomi Rawlings as my guest today! I met Naomi at a writers conference last year and felt an instant connection with her as a fellow writer-mom. I know you’ll enjoy getting to know her here today.
A mother of two young boys, Naomi Rawlings spends her days picking up, cleaning, playing and, of course, writing. Her husband pastors a small church in Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula, where her family shares its ten wooded acres with black bears, wolves, coyotes, deer and bald eagles. Naomi and her family live only three miles from Lake Superior, where the scenery is beautiful and they average 200 inches of snow per winter. Naomi writes bold, dramatic stories containing passionate words and powerful journeys. Her debut novel, Sanctuary for a Lady, releases in April of 2012. You can visit her at her website www.naomirawlings.com, her blog makinghomeworkblog.blogspot.com, or her Facebook page www.facebook.com/author.naomirawlings.
Welcome, Naomi! Your home sounds amazing. And I know all about chasing little ones around, so let’s get straight to the questions…
Opener Question: What seven words best describe you?
Short, sweet (hopefully), romantic, nerd, wife, mom, author
Either/Or Questions:
1) New York City or Los Angeles?
NYC. Does that make me crazy? I live way up north, and we never get any sun in the winter, and LA would definitely be sunnier and warmer than NYC. But then, does anywhere in the world compare to NYC?
2) Fierce competitor or Cheering on the sidelines?
Sidelines. Clearly you’ve never seen me try to play volleyball or softball. I’m one of those weird people who runs the other way when a ball flies at their head (as opposed to running toward the ball and trying to hit it in a certain way). Phys Ed was my perpetually worst grade in school.
3) Chicken noodle soup or Chili?
Chicken Noodle Soup. Way more comforting than chili.
4) Snow boots or Flip flops?
I’d love to say flip flops. I want to say flip flops. But the average snowfall where I live is two hundred inches per year. That translates into about 17 feet. So definitely the snow boots. I own maybe two pairs of flip flops and six or seven different pairs of boots. It’s sad, I know, but it’s a reality where I live.
5) Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny?
Oh goodness. I can’t pick because I never watched cartoons growing up. No, my parents weren’t ultra strict, I was just always in a corner reading a book rather than watching a cartoon.
6) From scratch or From the microwave?
Middle of the road. I don’t like to cook, but I don’t really like microwave food. I’m more the five-ingredient-recipe kind of person.
7) Dogs or Cats?
Dogs. Way more friendly.
Fun answers, Naomi! I tend to agree with you about the five ingredients thing. I remember the peanut butter pie recipe you shared on your blog and how easy and yummy it sounded. I still need to get around to making it…just as soon as I finish this diet I’m on. 🙂 And I know what you mean about P.E. class. Even though I love fitness, there’s a big difference between exercising and participating in a competitive sport. Competitive I am not. 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting today! I loved getting to know you better.
Sanctuary for a Lady
Running to freedom, she found love . . .
The injured young woman that Michel Belanger finds in the woods is certainly an aristocrat, and in the midst of France’s bloody revolution, sheltering nobility merits a trip to the guillotine. Yet despite the risk, Michel knows he must bring the wounded girl to his cottage to heal.
Attacked by soldiers and left for dead, Isabelle de La Rouchecauld has lost everything. A duke’s daughter cannot hope for mercy in France, so escaping to England is her best chance of survival. The only thing more dangerous than staying would be falling in love with this gruff yet tender man of the land. Even if she sees, for the first time, how truly noble a heart can be . . .
Blog Readers: Let’s talk…Are you competitive by nature? Any former sports stars among us? If you’re non-competitive like Naomi and me, what other extracurricular activities did you do in school?
*flower photo by Twigy Posts
A fun interview. I’m a sidelines, Chicken Noodle Soup person.
I would love to read SANCTUARY FOR A LADY thank you. It’s already on my wish list.
Yep, it’s great to sit on those sidelines, isn’t it?
That was fun to read! 🙂
Is lunch an extracurricular? If so I’m pretty sure that was mine…. 🙂
Too funny, Bekah! I’m too much of an introvert to count lunch among my favorite times, though.
I’m super competitive (so much so that I choose to not play games with the youth group because I don’t want to plow anyone over in the middle of a game)! In high school, I was on the track team even though I hate to run! 🙂 I wasn’t a star by any means, but I did make it to the state track meet my senior year in hurdles.
Oh how funny, Debbie. I never knew you hated to run…How did you survive all those years of track? 🙂
I did the events where running was combined with something else – hurdles (my favorite!), long jump, relays. Just running to run was always too boring for me – I needed to do something else to keep my brain interested! 🙂
Nice to meet you Debbie. I don’t think I’ve ever met a runner who didn’t like running before. 🙂
Wow! The setting for that novel sounds amazing and I’m not usually big into historicals!
I love your interviews Sarah. Good to get to know you better, Naomi. Big congrats on your novel! I think I’ll have to add this one to be TBR pile. It looks really great!
Well, you won’t hear any complaints from me about getting added to a TBR pile. Wildflowers from Winter is in my TBR pile, or it will be, come May 1 when I can buy it. 🙂
Now as for the novel’s setting . . . it is a bit usual. I like it (of course), but I’m a pretty big fan of exotic novel settings as opposed to the more traditional ones.
Fun interview and I enjoyed meeting Naomi.
I’m competitive when it comes to family game nights — but not so much in the sports arena. This, despite having met my husband in a karate studio.
🙂
You know, I really am competitive at heart, just not in sports. I’m too much of an eternal klutz to even attempt being competitive whenever a ball is involved. Hand-eye coordination is not my forte.
Oh wow, Beth, I didn’t know you met your hubby in a karate studio! I hope you’ll entertain us with the story sometime. 🙂
Fun getting to know Naomi. Thanks for the interview, Sarah.
I used to be very competitive as a child and teenager, but I think that faded after I had children. Still, I do find pleasure in winning a family game of Monopoly…
Oh boy, Heidi, Monopoly is a knock-down-drag-out sport around my house too. 🙂
thanks for the chance to read this beautiful story 🙂
You’re welcome, Karen! I’ve got you entered. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Karen!
I am the most uncompetitive person I know! I get sad at games were the crowd “boo’s” the other team because he other team “worked just as hard to be there.” 🙂
Gotta love that bleeding heart! Next time I’m having a bad day, I’ll email you for some encouragement. 🙂
Too funny, Stephanie. I remember going to an NFL game with my dad, and he was appalled that the fans were booing the visiting team. I told him, “Come on, Dad, they make enough money…I think they can handle a few boos.” 🙂
Fun to “meet” you, Naomi. And thanks for the interview, Sarah. I love how you ask fun questions. 🙂
I am middle of the road when it comes to competition. I can have competitive streaks followed by “I just don’t care” moment. Totally depends on the game in question. 🙂
You know, that probably best describes me. If we’re playing Trivial Pursuit, I’ve got a competitive streak a mile wide. If it’s basketball, well, never mind. I wouldn’t be caught dead playing basketball. Is there a non competitive word that describes cowering in the bushes?
Great interview! And hmmm…I’m a competitive person when it comes to other things like performing, card/board games, and grades (in school). But I never was super great at sports…I played basketball and hated to lose, but I was never the best player. Which bugged me. 😛
Ohhh, I’m such a competitive card player, Lindsay! Are you going to ACFW this year? I’ll bring the deck of cards. Prepare to roll up your sleeves. 🙂
I’ll be there! You’re on!!
Thanks so much for having me here today, Sarah. I must admit, I had fun answering your questions. Brought back a lot of memories, though I’m not sure the sports ones are exactly good memories. 🙁
You know, I have to take this moment to share that I did play soccer for a half a season my junior year of high school. I attended a small Christian school that my church ran, and the school barely had enough girls for a soccer team. Then progress reports came out and the team was down to the bare minumum of players. Not a single sub to be had. So here I am, the resident brainy nerd of the Christian school , with no worries about my grades and no ability to play soccer. The soccer coach, who also happened to be my history teacher, pulled me aside and said “You’re playing soccer today. Show up at the game.”
And just like that, I was on the team. I even got one assist at some point during the season, though that was a fluke, not talent, let me assure you!
LOL, Naomi, Hooray for the assist! That’s makes you a perfect teammate, right? 🙂
And I’ve enjoyed having you here! Rest assured that the sports question doesn’t bring back great memories for me either. 🙂
Sports in school? Ummm, no. Competitive? Maybe with myself. My extracurricular stuff in school centered around Drama (imagine that!), FBLA, and studious things.
I think I saw Naomi in the elevator at ACFW, but there were about 72 people crammed in there, and I didn’t get a chance to connect. Anyway, good to meet you, Naomi, and learn about you!
Thanks, Sarah, for a fun interview!
Lovely to meet you too, Cynthia! Gotta love those ACFW elevators. 🙂 And do you know, I did drama in high school too. (Went over much better than soccer.) I wonder how many writers out there are former high school drama stars who figured out that writing let them play ALL of the characters instead of just one. 🙂
So true, Naomi! I did drama in high school too. I played the mom in Cheaper by the Dozen my senior year, which in no way means I’ll have 12 children of my own, lol.
Oh yay, I’m so excited about winning Jessica’s book! 🙂 I’ve been wanting to read it. Can’t wait, actually! Thanks so much!
Thanks also for the intro to Naomi. It’s so good to meet authors; I love getting to know them a little better. Her book sounds wonderful. I may just have to pick up a copy!
Congrats on your win, Karen! And it’s lovely to meet you.
Fun interview! I’m a homemade chicken noodle soup gal all the way!
It’s a perfect soup day here, Loree…cold and windy. 🙂
I wasn’t a “ball player,” either. I simply couldn’t see where the ball was. I tried. Or, I was MADE to try in school in PE. Later I learned why. I have trouble with judging actually where an object is. I drive fine, but parking is a “do-it-very-carefully” job and hanging clothes on the clothes line was interesting back when we had no dryer.
I had 5 kids (been a long time since they were kids) and I know the drill of pick up, clean up, wash up, cook up, ‘fess up, etc.
I’d love to read your book.
Hi Vera! I don’t like parking either, especially backing out. It’s a practice in blind faith, isn’t it? 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! I’ve got you entered in the drawing.
Oh Vera! At least you have an excuse for not being able to hit the ball! And I can’t parallel park for anything.
Hey Naomi & Sarah! What a fun interview. I agree with you on the chicken noodle soup, especially on sick days. 🙂
For sure, Melanie. And hopefully your [morning] sick days are behind you now. 🙂
Hey Melanie! I feel like I haven’t seen you around in forever. How are you, girl? And so glad you side with me on the chicken noodle soup!
Congrats, Karen!
LOL! I’m a middle-of-the-road cook too.
Your book sounds fascinating. I haven’t seen too many historicals set in this timeframe.
Doesn’t her book sound great, Susan?! Maybe you and Karen can win back-to-back giveaways. 🙂
Nice to meet you, Susan. And nope, there isn’t a whole lot set in this time period. Jamie Carrie has an inspy set during the French Revolution, though. I believe it’s called “Love’s First Light”. And Joanna Bourne writes some French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars settings for the general market. My publisher is very interested to see how well this time period will sell!
It’s so nice to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t like to cook. Unlike Naomi, though, my microwave and I are good friends.
Keli, I use my microwave a lot too. Those steamer veggies and meals make it so convenient!
Ah, you know, those Glad microwave steam bags? They’re awesome for baked potatoes. I’m never one to turn on the oven for a whole hour just to bake some potatoes, so I love the steam bags. And those steam bags are the only way to cook a beet. You can just toss the bag when you’re done rather than having to scrub red beet juice out of everything.
nice to meet you naomi! i believe i won your book in a blog giveaway last week, so no need to enter me, sarah. i’m looking forward to reading it!
Nice to see you top, Jeannie. I don’t remember you winning my book, but that’s not to say you didn’t. Maybe I haven’t heard back from the blog owner yet? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. 🙂