Today, we have an interview with Deena Adams, author of Stronger Than the Storm.
D. T.: It’s great to have you with us today, Deena. In what ways do you consider yourself brave as an author?
Deena: I think every writer who puts stories out into the world is brave. It’s difficult to let others read our work and open ourselves up to their critique and opinions about something dear to our hearts. Add the hard, gritty topics on top of that, and yeah, that’s really brave.
D. T.: Thanks for putting yourself and your book out there.
What would you consider to be a “brave” topic in fiction?
Deena: Tackling anything that might cause people to be uncomfortable or face a challenging situation in their lives would be brave. Also, themes with the potential to stir opposition and create sides to stand on, or an issue of morality or social justice. Some possibilities that come to mind are abortion, physician-assisted suicide, mental illness, LGBTQ+, the death penalty, politics, addictions, abuse, and the list goes on.
D. T.: It can be incredibly hard to discuss tough subjects with the necessary balance of truth and mercy.
What’s a topic you feel is underrepresented in Christian Fiction?
Deena: I can’t tell you how many Christ-followers I know who have a child who has declared themselves gay or transgender, and the parents don’t have a clue how to handle it. They desire to honor God and stand on His Word, but they also love their child and want a relationship with them.
Novels that address these sensitive issues, while sharing God’s truth, compassion, love, and grace, would be a blessing to many who feel alone and lost. Stories that tackle these relevant themes can offer truth in a non-threatening way and provide biblical insight that might make all the difference for a reader in need of hope.
Not everyone is capable of pulling this off skillfully, so I think maybe it’s underrepresented because most of us aren’t sure how to write those stories effectively. Or perhaps we’re just not brave enough to go down that road.
D. T.: That’s definitely something that has to be handled with a certain level of skill, understanding, and heavy dependence on God.
Do you plot before embarking on a new writing project? If so, how thoroughly? What is your process like?
Deena: Unless my method changes as I learn and grow as a writer, my approach for the three manuscripts I’ve written was to start a story with a rough idea about the characters, their jobs, where they live, and what they want in life. Everything else developed from there.
D. T.: That’s kind of what I do too, so you’re definitely not alone. Discovery writing/pantsing can be such a wonderful way to dive into a new story.
Do you have a main Scripture for your work in progress or your writing in general?
Deena: My writing/website tagline is Hope-Filled Fiction, and my theme verse is Romans 15:13 (NIV) – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
In Stronger than the Storm, Romans 8:28 plays a huge part in the characters’ lives, and Jeremiah 31:16-17 gives the mom, Beth Holbrook, hope for their estranged daughter to return to the Lord and to them.
D. T.: Hope is such a powerful thing–both to read and experience.
Do you read your reviews? Why or why not?
Deena: Since I’m brand new at this writing gig and only have a handful of reviews so far, yes, I read them. It’s encouraging to hear how the story touched someone and blessed them. I’m sure when I receive my first negative review, I won’t enjoy reading them quite so much, but I also want to know what people don’t like or connect with so I can keep that in mind moving forward with other stories.
D. T.: So who’s your latest book dedicated to? Why?
Deena: I dedicated Stronger than the Storm to three groups of people, all related to family and prodigals. One, parents of prodigals, because I want them to have hope that God is stronger than any storm they face, and that He’s with them every step of the way.
Two, prodigal children, because I want them to know that God and their family members love them, and it’s never too late to return home.
Three, to my family, because through all our storms, they’ve stuck with me and helped me become a better person. I can’t imagine life without them.
D. T.: That sounds like a wonderful, meaningful dedication choice.
When do you write? What’s your most productive time of day?
Deena: The mornings I’m not working at our church, I do other writerly tasks to get them cleared off my plate to help me better focus on the current book, so my most productive time of day to work on a book is between one and five in the afternoon.
I wish I could carve out those hours to work on my manuscript daily, but with answering emails, engaging on social media, keeping up with my blog/author interviews, writing newsletters, promoting other authors, and my family, home, and church activities, it’s tough to make that happen.
D. T.: I understand that for sure.
Where did you get the inspiration for Stronger Than the Storm?
Deena: A hard season twenty years ago, when our nineteen-year-old daughter ran away and returned home pregnant, inspired my debut novel. I strongly believe that letting our guard down and disclosing our hardships to people can bring about good from bad. My aspiration for Stronger than the Storm is that the story will encourage those going through tough times and give them hope.
D. T.: It is amazing what can result from sharing experiences and burdens.
What are you working on now?
Deena: I’m polishing book two in The Holbrook Family series, which focuses on the oldest Holbrook child, Tyler, and his wife, Shelby. In this story, Shelby is a music and dance instructor with a passion to offer kids from all walks of life the opportunity to take part in the arts.
When the owner decides to sell the studio, Shelby does everything possible to buy the place and keep it going. I always bring some aspect of my personal experience into the stories I write, so the heroine overworks herself and gets a very rare skin disease, which I got in 2022.
This book is scheduled to release with Scrivenings Press in June 2027.
D. T.: Well, thank you so much for being with us today, Deena. It’s been great to talk with you and hear more about Stronger Than the Storm.
More about Deena:
As a Jesus girl for over thirty years, and a pastor’s wife for most of those, Deena Adams understands how important hope is to daily life. This belief fuels her passion to inspire others through hope-filled fiction based on true-life stories. She is a Certified Mental Health Coach, a multi-award-winning author, an active ACFW member, and a six-year ACFW Virginia board member.
Connect with Deena through her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, BookBub, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
