Author Interview – Brenda S. Anderson – All Things New – Mosaic Anthology

I am excited to share the latest Mosaic Collection offering with you. I had the pleasure of interviewing several of the authors, whom I consider friends I haven’t met yet. I will be sharing these interviews over the next week or so as well my review of the anthology. You can find my schedule of posts near the end of this post.

About All Things New: Stories to Refresh the Soul

When their own mistakes or the actions of others derail the hopes and plans of the men and women in these eight stories, is it too late to find redemption and a fresh start?

The Key by Candace West

Lost and Found by Milla Holt

Scarlet by Sara Davison

Reinventing Josie by Angela D. Meyer

Taste Budding by Deb Elkink

Coming Home by Brenda S. Anderson

Souvenir in My Pocket by Johnnie Alexander

How Life Begins by Eleanor Bertin

As they journey through heartache and challenges, each one discovers the powerful truth that only God can take what is broken and make it new again.

Meet Brenda S. Anderson

Brenda S. Anderson writes authentic, gritty, life-affirming fiction that shows God at work in people’s messy lives. She enjoys live music and theater, walking the shores of Lake Superior, and sharing hot cocoa with friends and family. She lives near Minneapolis with her newly retired husband. Together, they plan to travel across the United States, checking items off their bucket list, beginning with a bus trip to Niagara Falls.Readers can learn more about Brenda S. Anderson at https://brendaandersonbooks.com/.

What prompted you to become a Mosaic Author and what do you like most about being one?

I was there at the beginning of The Mosaic Collection. Stacy Monson and a couple other Minnesota authors talked about forming a group of published contemporary Christian fiction authors that would share in the marketing efforts. I invited myself in, then we invited Johnnie Alexander and hired a virtual assistant (Camry Crist, Stacy’s daughter), and The Mosaic Collection was born.

Each additional author in the collection came by invitation only. Those invites were sent to authors we personally recommended or to ones we vetted to make sure they fit not only our quality standards but, more importantly, shared our faith.

We’ve become more than a random group of authors. We’ve become friends, confidants, and sisters in faith. Besides that, I love how diverse our works are. We have literary works and women’s fiction, romance and romantic suspense, cozy women’s fiction and cozy mysteries. We’ve even added an historical line.

Another bonus of being with The Mosaic Collection is participating in the anthologies. We’ve released summer and Christmas anthologies with short stories by our authors. It’s a great way to introduce readers to new authors. And, as an author, I’ve experimented with different writing techniques, learning which work well for me and those that don’t.

What is your favorite genre to read? What about that genre draws you?

I’ll read any genre as I’ll enjoy any story told well, but the books that make an impact are usually women’s fiction and family drama. I enjoy the realism of the stories and watching God create beautiful mosaics out of broken lives. Not surprising, that’s also what I love to write.

What is your favorite vacation destination? And why?

I love traveling to the Branson, Missouri area for the 3 Rs: Rest, Reading, and Relaxation. The Ozark Mountains are breathtaking, so I can just sit on the deck of the condo and take in God’s creation. It’s about a twelve-hour drive from home, so we can travel in one day, though lately, we’ve been stopping mid way.

As a former K-12 school librarian I have to ask – what is your favorite children’s book?

I have so many favorites! The earliest I remember are Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee Burton. In elementary school I discovered Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lindgren) and I devoured the Betsy, Tacy, and Tib books (Maud Hart Lovelace). I also read all the Nancy Drew books (Carolyn Keene) but much preferred Trixie Belden (Julie Campbell and Kathryn Kenny) and Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators (various authors, based on characters created by Robert Arthur) over Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.

What advice would you give to a child or teen who wants to be a writer?

Just write! Get your story on paper and don’t worry about writing rules or publication. For me, the beginning was when writing was fun, words poured out the swiftest, and I couldn’t wait to sit by the computer. Enjoy writing your story and take time developing your voice. You’ll have plenty of time to learn the rules afterward.

Coming Home

Who does a mom become when her children leave the nest?

For years, Nancy Monroe has anticipated the day when she and her husband would have an empty nest, and they could at last focus on their relationship. Nancy’s also eager to return to the career that had been suspended when they had children. After twenty-five years of motherhood, she can finally be more than just a mom.

But then her husband, Paul, gets a promotion that sends him on the road, and Nancy discovers that careers for former full-time mothers are near-impossible to find. 

She isn’t about to give up, though. And, besides, she always has her volunteer position at her church. They would never let her down.

Or would they?

About The Mosaic Collection

The Mosaic Collection launched in 2018 as an international community of independently published authors who approach life, faith, and writing together. Some have vast writing experience, and others are somewhat new to the journey. Under The Mosaic Collection’s banner, they’ve published more than 25 novels and five anthologies.

With over 150 years of collective writing experience, Mosaic’s award-winning and best-selling authors are active leaders and members in prominent writing organizations. The goal of The Mosaic Collection is to encourage and uplift readers worldwide, offer hope in story form, and share the unconditional love and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.

Order All things New

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3xCKHED

Amazon International: mybook.to/MosaicAllThingsNew

All Things New series of Blog Posts

Author Interview – Angela Meyer – June 10

Author Interivew – Milla Holt – June 11

Author Interview – Deb Elkink – June 13

Author Interview – Sara Davison – June 14

Review of All Things New – June 15

Author Interview – Brenda Anderson – June 16

Author Interview – Eleanor Bertin – June 17

Connect with The Mosaic Collection

Website: https://www.mosaiccollectionbooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MosaicCollectionBooks

Readers’ Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/426868371408246

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/The-Mosaic-Collection/e/B07TMRT1Q2

Subscribe: https://www.mosaiccollectionbooks.com/grace-glory/

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