Tracy Krauss is an author,
artist, playwright, director, worship leader, and teacher. Originally from a
small prairie town, she received her Bachelor’s Degree at the University
of Saskatchewan. She has lived in many
places in northern Canada with her husband, a pastor, and their children. They
currently live in Tumbler Ridge, BC.
Published works include four romantic suspense
novels: AND THE BEAT GOES ON, where archaeological evidence for creation comes
at a heavy cost; MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER, the story of a ‘cougar’ who takes on
more than she bargained for; PLAY IT AGAIN, about an unlikely match during the
1980s rock n’ roll scene; and WIND OVER MARSHDALE, where strong spiritual
forces rock a seemingly peaceful prairie town. She also has several stage plays
in print. Visit her website for more details. http://www.tracykrauss.com
Q: Tell me about your book.
A: My latest release is
called WIND OVER MARSHDALE and it’s
about a small prairie town where, on the surface,
everything seems quaint and happy. Underneath there are some serious issues,
especially with racism, sexual promiscuity, and the occult. Thomas Lone Wolf is
a Cree man on a mission to build a heritage site near the town based on some
ancient archaeological evidence. He and his children aren’t prepared for the
level of prejudice they begin to face. Rachel Bosworth is the new Kindergarten
teacher, fresh from the big city and running away from a hurtful past. Con
McKinley is a local farmer, who also happens to be single and good looking. A
love triangle of sorts develops, with the two men unwitting participants. As
well, eccentric twin sisters bombard the town; one with her legalistic
religious views and the other as a practicing witch. The local pastor has
little effect trying to keep his parishioners in line since he is involved in some
unsavoury business of his own. The lives of these and many other unusual
characters weave together into a surprising climax. Beneath it all is a thread linking everyone’s
problems to the spirit realm; an ancient curse from the past that must be dealt
with once and for all.
Q: How did you get
interested in writing this particular genre?
A: My novels are all romantic suspense, but they
are also written from a Christian worldview. Some call my style ‘edgy
Christian’ or ‘edgy inspirational’. I like to think it’s just authentic. I like a bit of an edge when I read and I love
a good twist at the end, so I try to do this in my own writing.
Q: Did you have to do any kind of research for this
book?
A: Yes, I did some research on ‘Beringia’ – a
localized area free from ice during the last ice age and the possibility of
tribes from Asia crossing over the Bering Strait. I usually go with topics that
intrigue me and this one does. I lived in the Yukon for a number of years,
modern day ‘Beringia, so I guess that sparked an interest. As well, I’ve had
lots of exposure to certain aspects of native spirituality through various
friends and this also interests me. The location itself, although fictional, is
actually modelled after my own hometown of Mossbank, Saskatchewan, but the
characters are all fictional. In the end, I want to
stress that it is a work of fiction. (In case anyone thinks they recognize
themselves... J)
Q: What is the hardest part of writing for you?
A: Number one
is finding enough time and number two is all the promotion and marketing that
goes along with it. I guess this is actually tied to number one since this
aspect of things takes up so much time.
Q: What’s the
best thing about being an author?
A: There are so many great
things. I just love writing, so I guess the best part for me is when I have
uninterrupted time to write and the words just start to flow. Then, when the
story line comes together in an unexpected way, or a character does something
that you hadn’t thought about before hand – those are just magic moments. Of
course, seeing your book in print is pretty cool, too, as well as getting
positive feedback from strangers.
Q: What are
you working on now?
A: I’m hoping to finish
revisions on two manuscripts I am readying for submission to my agent. Of
course, I have several other works in progress and I’ve got three new
contracted plays that should be coming out this year.
Q: What
advice would you give aspiring writers?
A: Take the
time to learn your craft. Don’t just assume you know everything jus because you
got A’s in English or know lots about mechanics. There is so much more to it
than that. I wish I would have done this instead of using the trial and error
method. You also need fresh, critical eyes to look over your work.
Q: Do you have any favourite
authors or favourite books?
A: Frank Peretti is still my favourite author. To me he is a
groundbreaker. He’s tackled subjects that were previously considered taboo
within Christian circles in such a compelling and thought provoking way that
his writing is almost revered as truth. For instance, THIS PRESENT DARKNESS has
almost become a manual on spiritual warfare, even though it’s fiction. I try to include some of this ‘edge’ in my
own writing. I still love MONSTER out
of all his writing, but so many others run a close second. Francine Rivers is
another that comes to mind. She has written about some pretty controversial
topics as well, and her characters are always believable; they aren’t perfect
in other words. Again, this is what I strive for with my characters. Another
author I admire is Margaret Atwood, especially her ORYX AND CRAKE. It’s a super disturbing dystopian novel but I love
her genius in crafting it. It jumps from past to present and all around, but
there are so many ‘ah-ha’ moments that are incredible. It’s one of those books
that needs to be read more than once.
Cover blurb:
Marshdale.
Just a small farming community where nothing special happens. A perfect place to start over… or get lost.
There is definitely more to this prairie town than meets the eye. Once the
meeting place of aboriginal tribes for miles around, some say the land itself
was cursed because of the people’s sin. But its history goes farther back than
even indigenous oral history can trace and there is still a direct descendant
who has been handed the truth, like it or not. Exactly what ties does the land
have to the medicine of the ancients? Is it cursed, or is it all superstition?
Wind Over Marshdale is the story of the struggles within
a small prairie town when hidden evil and ancient medicine resurface. Caught in
the crossfire, new teacher Rachel Bosworth finds herself in love with two men
at once. First, there is Thomas Lone Wolf, a Cree man whose blood lines run
back to the days of ancient medicine but who has chosen to live as a Christian
and faces prejudice from every side as he tries to expose the truth. Then there
is Con McKinley, local farmer who has to face some demons of his own. Add to
the mix a wayward minister seeking anonymity in the obscurity of the town;
eccentric twin sisters – one heavily involved in the occult and the other a
fundamentalist zealot; and a host of other ‘characters’ whose lives weave
together unexpectedly for the final climax. This suspenseful story is one of
human frailty - prejudice, cowardice, jealousy, and greed – magnified by
powerful spiritual forces that have remained hidden for centuries, only to be
broken in triumph by grace.
Thank you so much for taking your time to tell us a little bit more about you and your latest release. I look forward to reading it soon!
Find out more about Tracy on these sites:
FB: http://tinyurl.com/Tracy-Krauss-Author-Fanpage
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TracyKrausswrtr
Link to an excerpt: http://tracykrauss.yolasite.com/wind-over-marshdale-first-chapters.php
Purchase links:
