Recently I had the opportunity to meet Theresa Sneed, author of No Angel. I just love Theresa! She is such a nice person, who care deeply about others and I am very excited to interview her today! Her book, No Angel, has had fantastic reviews and is a definite must read! Meet Theresa Sneed....
Tell us about your book.
No Angel is the story of a reluctant guardian angel named Jonathan Stewart. He had a bad experience as a mortal and doesn’t want to return to earth as a guardian angel, but it’s required of all post-mortal spirits to do just that—at least one time. He makes it quite clear on the Guardians Unlimited application, that he is not at all interested in being a guardian angel, and even requests an EMD (a spirit marked for early death) just in case. Several years go by and he’s settled into his job as a director of H&EB (Heaven and Earth Bound) where he meticulously runs a smooth operation making sure that the departing and arriving spirits are on the right passageways at the right time. It’s a complete shock and an obvious inconvenience to him when his presence is request in HR (Heaven Resources) and he discovers that he has been chosen to be a guardian angel by the beautiful Celeste Knight. Because he never took the required classes in heaven and did not read his client’s manual in preparation to be her angel, what Jonathan does not know is that an EMD is also a Death Resistor and she can choose the time of her death. Celeste has no intentions of dying early and now Jonathan is stuck in a place he only wanted to forget, as a guardian angel to someone he really could care less about.
You will not like Jonathan at all at the beginning of No Angel, but at the end you will absolutely love him!
What inspired you to write No Angel?
I have a strong belief in the unseen spirit word that surrounds us, and wanted to write a ‘fun’ book that used that knowledge as a backdrop.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
There are several messages in No Angel—first and foremost that we came from heaven and will return there after our own mortal experience is over. Other strong themes in No Angel are love, choice, accountability, loyalty, honesty, faith, hope, forgiveness, patience, and endurance.
When and why did you begin writing?
My first published poem was in 3rd grade, but because I gave it to a friend who was struggling with our writing assignment, it was actually published in the local newspaper under her name! That’s the when of it, but the why is much more involved. I believe that writing is the easiest way to have your voice heard. I write, because I want to share who I am and what I believe, feel, desire, and even fear. As a youth, I derived so much pleasure and hope from reading—it’d be so awesome if I could do that for someone else!
Any ideas on a sequel for No Angel?
Yes! Occasionally Yours is the prequel to No Angel and is in the final stages of editing right now. Lip Reader is the sequel to No Angel. The rough draft for Lip Reader is complete, but it hasn’t gone through the beta-reader, revision, editing process yet. Once Occasionally Yours is in the hands of my editor, then I’ll revise/edit Lip Reader.
Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely! Though I have a BA in Education, I see writing as my career.
Do you have any advice or tips on writing you would like to share?
I do! The greatest thing that you MUST have to be a writer—is the desire to write, honestly! There has to be a reason for that desire, and I believe that the reason is a deep understanding of an important part of who you are. But, you MUST be willing to develop that desire into something tangible. You MUST be able to take constructive criticism. You MUST be willing to take that constructive criticism and learn from it! I recommend building up a writing resource library. Read about point of view, how to develop scenes, characters, settings, etc. Study grammar as needed, especially if someone critiques your work and points out specific problems—take those really seriously and dive into everything that you can to understand and improve that part of your writing. I also strongly suggest that you find a reputable writing group that shares your standards, otherwise you might be reading things you’d rather not. I’m a member of an LDS women writers group named ANWA—it is a perfect fit for me and has helped me to hone my craft more than any other thing I have tried. On that note, don’t be afraid to step out of your writing group from time to time and learn from the many other talented authors in your community. Check out your local colleges and libraries for guest speakers and go to their classes prepared to learn all you can about the writing craft. It’s also important to commit to a schedule to write—put aside a time every day and stick to it. I wrote No Angel by committing to writing just one page a day six days a week. Most times that one page morphed into many more! Lastly—you MUST, MUST, MUST read! The best writers are avid, passionate readers! You learn TONS from reading—read with a critical eye—identify what works, and what doesn’t work in the books you choose.
Thanks Mandi!
To purchase your copy of No Angel visit Amazon today or a book store near you!!!
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