Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Her nineteenth novel, Authentically Izzy, debuts in November with Thomas Nelson.
Tell about yourself, family,
pets, favorite foods, hobbies, where you grew up, etc., and 1-3 things about
yourself that have nothing to do with writing.
Hi everyone. I grew up in the Blue
Ridge Mountains of Virginia and now live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North
Carolina. My granny was the first person who ever called me a “writer,” and as
proof of her faith in me, she bought me a secondhand typewriter when I was ten
years old. Though I am an author, it’s something I do in addition to my day job
as a speech-language pathologist. I’m an Appalachian girl, love jazz music,
play Minecraft with my kids (and attempt other games…much to their humor), love
my Appalachian heritage, and am an unashamed Anglophile. I think going to
Biltmore may be one of my hobbies, but I’d love to make going to the UK one of
my hobbies, too (not in the finance books for now, though). I love singing,
watching movies/musicals, and hanging out with my kids. And I’m so grateful I
get to write fiction from with both an overt and subtle Christian worldview.
What genre(s) do you write?
I write historical and contemporary romance
(emphasis on “romance”).
Are you Indy, traditionally
published, or both?
Yes. Both.
What are you working on now?
I’m getting ready to start another historical
romance with another contemporary romance right behind that one. I just turned
in two books which will be coming out in 2023, The Cairo Curse (February), and
Positively, Penelope (August). (But I’ll tell you a secret, I have a 3rd
book coming out in December of 2023…title pending).
Do you read outside of your
genre? If so, what other genres do you like to read?
I mostly read within my genres, but I do like
to read fantasy too.
Did the first book you wrote get
published? How long were you writing before you were published?
No, my first book didn’t get
published (and that’s a good thing too). I’ve been writing since I was ten, but
seriously started pursuing the craft when I was 25-ish. However, I was also
raising a growing family and working full-time, so I pursued writing during
nooks and the crannies of my life. I have my first book published in 2015 after
over ten years of attempting publication.
When you are writing, do you
like complete silence, or do you like to listen to music? If so, what kind of
music do you like? What are your favorite writing snacks?
I’ve never had complete silence while writing,
so I’m not sure how I’d do with that. Usually, there is activity going on all
around me. Most of my early books were written in the middle of my family
activities (or they wouldn’t have been written at all), so I guess I’ve gotten
used to noise. Sometimes, I can listen to music while I write, and other times,
I can’t. If I do listen to music, I try to have it correspond with the “feel”
of the story. Movie soundtracks, jazz, musicals, etc. I listen to a LOT of
music while I brainstorm when I’m driving.
Do you have other writers in the
family?
I do!! My eldest son has
finished 10 books but hasn’t started pursuing publication yet. And, might I add,
he wrote most of those books in less than 2 years. It’s mind-blowing! My 17-year-old
son just started his first novel too. My 20-year-old daughter had tried writing
a few books, but she’s a visual artist, so she ends up drawing the rest of the
story instead of writing it! LOL
Do you prefer ebooks, printed
books, or audiobooks most of the time?
I’m a print book kind-of-girl, but I’m
starting to enjoy audiobooks for when I’m driving.
Do you read your reviews? How do
you process negative reviews?
Yes, I read my reviews. My hope
is that if I see a consistent theme in my negative reviews, that I can grow
from those instead of getting my feelings hurt or trying to justify myself. But
I realize reading is a very subjective activity, and my books won’t fit
everyone.
Do you see writing as a kind of
spiritual or therapeutic practice?
Oh, definitely both!!
Does anyone in your family read
your books?
My 20-year-old daughter does. My
dad is probably my BIGGEST reading fan! He’s known as RamboDad because he’s
always trying to insert Rambo into my books to help folks in the story. My
husband read his first one of my books last month. (He’s not a fiction reader).
How many books have you written,
and which is your favorite?
Oh gracious, it’s impossible to
answer that question about “favorite”. Two I really enjoy because of the humor are
Just the Way You are and The Mistletoe Countess. I just turned my
21st book into my editor, but I’ve written 24.
You can learn more about Pepper and her books here:
Website
- www.pepperdbasham.com
FB
– https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/
Instagram
- https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/
Twitter
- https://twitter.com/pepperbasham
Pinterest
- https://www.pinterest.com/pepperbasham/
Can their hearts overcome the darkness of the
mountains?
