Stories that Matter
Hanging Out with Beth Vogt!
I wish I could say I was, in person! But having Beth with us on the blog will have to be the next best thing!
Beth and her husband, Rob.
Beth’s debut novel, Wish You Were Here, is simply smashing! I devoured it in a few days, fell in love with the story, her characters and those lovely Llamas! If you haven’t read this book yet, put it on your summer reading list! I can’t wait for Beth’s next book, Catch A Falling Star, which will be out next year!
About Wish You Were Here
Allison Denman is supposed to get married in five days, but everything is all wrong. The huge wedding. The frothy dress. And the groom.
Still, kissing the groom’s brother in an unguarded moment is decidedly not the right thing to do. How could she have made such a mistake? It seems Allison’s life is nothing but mistakes at this point. And pulling a “Runaway Bride” complete with stealing, er, borrowing her best friend’s car doesn’t seem to solve her problems.
Can Allison find her way out of this mess? Maybe she just needs to stop orchestrating everything. Allison prefers being the one in control, and giving it up is not going to be easy. But to find her way again, she will have to believe that God has a plan for her and find the strength to let Him lead.
Seriously, this is a GREAT book! AND – Beth has graciously agreed to give away a copy of Wish You Were Here!!! Leave a comment to win!!
But, enough out of me, I’m handing things over to Beth!
Imagine All the People
When Cathy interviews authors, she likes to ask them who they are.
I am an author. So imagine Cathy and I sitting together having lunch (oh, please, let me be in Bermuda visiting Cathy!) and she asks me, “So, Beth, who are you?”
My answer would be:
I am a peculiar woman.
And, yes, now I am going to spend the rest of the time convincing you of that fact. If that’s not peculiar enough to begin with …
My husband Rob and I live in Colorado and we enjoy going for long walks. While we’re walking, we often talk – about our days, about life in general. Sounds normal, I know. But after my husband talks about his work day, I talk about mine. Which means I spend an inordinate amount of time obsessing about imaginary people.
ME: Why won’t Asa tell Reilly he loves her? I mean, come on! What’s it gonna take for the guy to speak up?
ROB: Remember, yesterday you said he was afraid –
ME: And why is she even dating Morrison? His name sounds like that cat on the TV commercial—
ROB: You mean Morris, in the classic 9Lives commercial?
ME: Yeah. He needs a name change. Marc? Blake? Drew …?”
Yes, I have patient husband. Especially when you realize we walk in the morning before he leaves for work and then we walk again in the evening. Which means the poor guy gets to hear the “what I need my characters to do” grumbling in the A.M. and the “what they did or didn’t do” muttering in the evening.
And remember: I’m angsting over pretend people.
Rob and I walk. I talk. Rob listens – and, yes, occasionally he mentions the real people in our lives. Family. Friends. It may take me a moment to shift from make believe to reality, but eventually I re-engage. Most of the time.
The good thing is, my husband loves me – peculiarities and all. All he asks is a little heads up when I’m switching from real life to imaginary people.
Do you consider writers peculiar people? (If you are a writer and you’re reading this, go ahead and admit it – and then share your own writer idiosyncrasy!)
About Beth
Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. She’s discovered that God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” Her inspirational contemporary romance novel,Wish You Were Here, debuted May 2012 (Howard Books.) Her second novel, Catch a Falling Star, releases May 2013. Beth is an established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS International. Visit with Beth at her website bethvogt.com.
I loved this book!
Me too, me too!!
Thank you, Michelle! 🙂 Appreciated your review of WYWH!
Super fun blog! Can I claim peculiar also? 🙂 Cute pix of you and Rob, too!
Methinks you have a crown in your closet to prove you are the Queen of Peculiar, Susie!! Ha. But the weirder we are, the better stories we write. At least that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it. 🙂 🙂
I had to include a photo of Rob since he helps me do what I do. 😉
[…] visiting with author Cathy West today over at her blog This is a Blog about Books. (I wish I was really visiting with Cathy because she lives in Bermuda!) Come on over and join us […]
Love it! That’s a great tidbit of information about Beth. I’m starting this book today because a friend of mine sent me an email and said I have GOT to read this book; that I will LOVE it. And yes, she emphasized, in bold lettering no less, so it’s time to make some java and get to it 🙂
You’re going to have a fun weekend, Anne. Reading! Because you won’t be able to put it down! 🙂
Hi, Anne,
So glad your friend encouraged you to read WYWH. Have fun hanging with Allison, Daniel, Seth … and the llamas!
I finished the book this afternoon. Oh.my. Loved it!!! I am assuming there is another one coming 🙂 I sure hope so!
When I’m in the middle of writing a story, it’s all I can think about. My family has come to understand that when I’m in the zone, I’m sort of half with them and half off someplace with my characters, wondering what they’re going to do next. I have a hard time shutting off when the ideas are flowing. Of course I must shut off that train of thought at times or that would make me a bad mother and horrible wife – but the minute I’m alone again I’m rushing to the keyboard!! I find driving is the worst. I’ve been known to totally pass the street I meant to turn on and find myself halfway into town before I realized it – so I try not to think about my stories when I’m driving!!!
I’m with you on that, Cathy, as this post proves. I keep telling my family, “If I’m at the computer and you can see the back of my head, then I can’t hear you. AT ALL.”
Loved the book, but I adore the writer even more…even if she is so peculiar! I totally believe writers are unique individuals. We’re the only ones on the planet who can talk to the voices in our heads without risking a pysch eval. I’ll get excited and call up my sister to let her know something that so-and-so just revealed. She’ll listen patiently, and then ask, “Is this person real or someone in your head?” Oh…
Nodding my head yes, LJ … I used to think fiction writers needed meds … and then I became a fiction writer …
I really enjoyed Beth’s book! Got a kick out of this post. 🙂
You got a kick out of this post because you are a fiction writer too, Katie. You understand. 😉
Peculiar? You mean discussing your imaginary characters isn’t normal? Who knew?! All seriousness aside, Beth has to be the most gifted individual at finding the humor in any situation. I absolutely love this lady. If you haven’t read her book, you are depriving yourself of an incredible blessing.
Aw, Rob is super cute, asking for a little heads up when you’re switching from real to imaginary folk. 🙂 I also have a patiently sweet, supportive husband who is still a little confused about why anyone would be so absorbed by pretend people, but he lets me ramble and offers good suggestions here and there when it’s clear he can’t escape. These men are the true saints who love us, peculiar and all. 🙂
I too loved Beth’s lovely book, and can’t wait for the next one. No pressure, Beth. Take your time. Listen to the voices. Keep us posted. 🙂
Thanks, Cathy, for hosting Beth today!
Good morning, Camille! Sounds like you and I are both blessed with the best kind of husbands!
Loved the book, love the author, and love the picture. Beth, you two are adorable 🙂
Love you right back, Dani!
Beth, cracking up! Your husband is adapting well to be a writer’s husband!
Rachel
🙂 Thank you, Mentor Mine!
What a fun interview with a peek at Rob and Beth’s conversations! I loved Wish You Were Here and recommend it to all my friends. Rob is a great guy who’s not only helped Beth with her fiction–he’s helped me too!
Rob’s always available for a house/phone call for you, Roxanne.
Great interview! I keep hearing great stuff about Beth’s book! Would love a chance to win and kick back with a good book this summer. I need a mini vacation! 🙂
Thanks for dropping by, Dineen. WYWH has been called a great beach read, even with it’s liberal dose of Colorado Mountains!
Going to put this book on my list–it sounds great! Your husband sounds great as well–taking the time to discuss your characters. Oh, and now I know Asa is female..sorry! lol I wasn’t sure on your Facebook post!
🙂 Well, Asa doesn’t appear in WYWH — I’m mulling over a new book.
Oh yeah: the transition from fictional characters to reality characters – er, people – ain’t always an easy one, huh, ladies?
Would love to win a copy of WYWH.
Not for me, Nicole, not for me.
This is a great interview, Beth. Although until I read it, I didn’t realize how truly peculiar I am. I have the same conversations on walks with my husband…and thought they were perfectly normal! We both are married to patient and loving guys. Blessings, Edie
Having met your husband, Edie, I know what a great guy he is!
I’m glad you’re getting around to some great blogs to become known and tell your story. And I hope you do make it to Bermuda for lunch 🙂
I hope she makes it for more than lunch! At least a week would be nice!! 🙂
Agreed, Cathy and Dee, agreed!