BLOGWORDS – Thursday 4 September 2025 – CHAT THURSDAY

BLOGWORDS – Thursday 4 September 2025 – CHAT THURSDAY – EVA MARIE EVERSON

CHAT THURSDAY – EVA MARIE EVERSON

Please give a warm feathered welcome to author and friend, Eva Marie Everson.

rem: Hullo Eva Marie, and welcome. Tell us three random things about yourself.

EVA MARIE: Random . . . okay . . . 1) I’ve been struck by lightning (shocking, I know!), 2) I recently received a degree in Biblical Exposition (Magna Cum Laude), 3) My father called me “Ree-Baby”

rem: 1) YIKES! 2) Congratulations! And 3) adorableness. What is your favorite quotation and why?

EVA MARIE: I absolutely love inspirational quotes, and I honestly have too many to count. It seems to me that every day another one comes along that speaks to my heart. I actually keep them recorded in a document.

rem: I feel that to the core of my soul! For picking any favorite, actually! LOL When reading, what makes or breaks a story for you? Your fiction pet peeve?

EVA MARIE: Poor storytelling and/or a bad opening. If you don’t grab me in the first few pages (like . . . two), I’m moving on. I don’t have time for a poorly written book. I’m not sure I have a pet peeve when it comes to fiction.

rem: Reading—no, attempting to read—a poorly written book has to be some form of torture. What are you reading right now?

EVA MARIE: Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. My daughter gave it to me for Mother’s Day. It’s simply amazing!

rem: What a great gift for any occasion. I’ll have to check it out! Tell us a little about your writing journey.

EVA MARIE: I started creating stories from the time I was old enough to understand how they were formed. We had a backyard full of pine trees. I’d rake the straw, forming houses (with rooms) and towns with stores and then I’d create stories and enact them. rem: Girl, we be twins! I used to create houses with pine straw, too! I wrote my first “book” when I was in the 8^th grade. When a classmate saw me scratching between the lines, she asked, “What are you doing?” I told her, “I’m writing a book.” She asked to read it. Next thing I knew, pages of my story were being passed up and down the aisles while our teacher, Mrs. Pfeiffer, continued at the chalkboard. But another teacher told me I could never be a writer (professionally) so I didn’t pursue the dream. I became a nurse instead. Then, one day in my 40^th year (1997), I had an idea for a story. This time, instead of just imagining it and then moving on (as I’d done over the years), I sat down and began to write . . . somehow, I knew my efforts would result in a book I could hold in my own two hands . . . one that I’d see in bookstores and on library shelves. Sure enough, two years later, I signed my first contract. There’s a lot more, of course, but that’s the long story short!

rem: It’s hard to keep a good storyteller quiet, uh, down. What genre(s) do you write and why?

EVA MARIE: I predominately write Southern Fiction, but I have written nonfiction works, and I have a children’s book titled Our God is Bigger Than That! (written with Michelle Medlock Adams) that won the ECPA Gold Medallion. I’ve also been a contributing writer to several online magazines (such as Crosswalk.com), and other anthology-type books.

rem: Busy lady. Tell us a little about your latest book? What is your current project?

EVA MARIE: I have a book releasing in May 2026 with the working title Beth Bettencourt (Kregel Publishing) Beth Bettencourt is set in 1962 and is roughly based on a Dear Abby letter I read 40 years ago. The book tells the story of a “nigh-on to 28” year-old “spinster” named Beth Bettencourt who lives in the sleepy town of Bynum, Georgia. Beth is a woman harboring deep resentments and broken dreams, but she appears to be the epitome of grace, charm, and confidence. Then, one night, she wakes to hear a man snoring in the guestroom down the hall of her home. David Patrick Martin, called Marty, is a US Army vet who took a wrong turn and ended up in the wrong house. When Beth offers him a job, he offers her a new way of seeing life. But is he who he says he is? rem: Eva, your book was already on my “most wanted-to-read” list, but now it’s moved up!

I’m currently finishing up a second book in the Bynum, Georgia series, this one titled The Girl From Apple Tree Lane. This book is set primarily in 1973/74 and is a “looking back/coming-of-age” story of a decision made at 17 that changed the trajectory of a young woman’s life.

rem: Well, now I’m looking forward to BOTH of these books! What is YOUR favorite part about the book or why do you love this book? Why should we read it?

EVA MARIE: I’ll talk about Beth Bettencourt. My favorite part of the book is the twist! Even the two editors said, “I didn’t see this coming!” and I just loved that! I also loved writing about this era. We, as a country, were still living in Camelot, but we were on the edge of change. Fashion was important and most lives were filled with genteel qualities, decorum, compassion, and goodness.

I hope my fans (and everyone else! LOL) will read Beth Bettencourt because it is about looking beyond the obvious . . . about forgiveness . . . and about the goodness and selflessness people are capable of showing and giving to one another.

rem: I do love a good twist!! (Who doesn’t?) What is one take-away from your book(s) that you hope readers identify with?

EVA MARIE: I hope they’ll ask themselves who, in their life, have they not forgiven. What, in their story, have they not let go of. And finally, how God can change those places in their heart from stone to tender flesh.

rem: Eva, what a deep and profound answers. Forgiveness is so powerful—and it’s not what the world thinks it is. One more and then we’ll close. Do you have a life Scripture?

EVA MARIE: Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life” (NLT) John 6:68

rem: Every Word He speaks is life. Anything you’d like to add?

EVA MARIE: I’m the CEO of Word Weavers International and the Director of Florida Christian Writers Conference. Helping writers at all levels sharpen their skills, improve in the craft, and see their work published brings me the same thrill as seeing my own work published. Truly, really, really, truly!

rem: I know the thrill of holding my own “book baby” in my hands; I rather imagine watching those you’ve encouraged and inspired is like a parent watching their child achieve their dreams. Eva Marie. thank you so much for chatting with us on my blog today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I was born and reared just outside of Savannah, Georgia in a charming small town, Sylvania, Georgia. Yeah, I have a southern accent. It gets a little more southern every time I cross the Florida/Georgia state line. I believe one must go North to get South of here.

If I had all the time in the world, I'd probably lay on the sofa all day and watch old movies. I usually have to get sick for something even close to that happening. But time or not, I love hiking in the great outdoors and I enjoy pushing myself to new heights, both physically and spiritually.

I quote lines from movies and songs so often that most people are unaware of what I'm doing. I may or may not have offended some folks. If I have...I'm sorry.

I'm an ex-nurse and a seminary graduate. I wasn't that crazy about nursing, but love God with a passion and can hardly get through a conversation without talking about our relationship! I think the Old Testament is totally FUN to read (I mean, HOW much stuff can one clan of people get in to?) and the New Testament draws me closer to Heaven. Yeah!

My husband and I have been married since 1979 (and they said it wouldn't last ...). We have three of the greatest kids ever and the most amazing grandkids.

I'm pretty much owned by my dog.

When I'm not writing, I'm editing. When I'm not editing, I'm running Word Weavers International, an international membership group of writers who, using the art of critique, become iron sharpening iron. I am also one of the two directors of Florida Christian Writers Conference. I speak at writers conferences across America and to women's groups as well as to congregations.

I'm rarely still and I sleep very little.

Life is good.

Website: www.EvaMarieEversonAuthor.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/eva.marie.everson/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/CedarKeyNovels/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/evamarieeversonauthor/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Eva-Marie-Everson/author/B001H6RTBE?

FMI on Word Weavers International & Florida Christian Writers Conference: www.Word-Weavers.com