Meet C. J. who is the award-winning auth of of Thicker than Blood, Bound by Guilt, and Ties that Bind. She has been in the antiquarian book-selling business for over fifteen years, scouting for stores similar to the ones described in her novels before co-founding her own online bookstore. C. J. is also giving away a copy of Ties That Bind. Check out the Giveaway tab on our facebook page.
In 2006 C. J. started the Christian entertainment Web site TitleTrakk.com with her sister, Tracy, and has been actively promoting Christian fiction ever since. She is a regular contributor to Family Fiction Digital Magazine and NovelCrossing.com. A homeschool graduate, she makes her home in Pennsylvania with her family and their menagerie of dogs, a cat, and a Paint horse named Sky. Visit her Web site atwww.cjdarlington.com.
MTAR: What do you do when you are not writing?
C.J.: I love to read, so you can often find me lingering over my latest read, whether it be something I downloaded on the Kindle, or a physical book. But if I’m not reading, then you will probably find me at the barn spending time with my horse, Sky. She is a beautiful brown and white paint who’s given my family a lot of joy. There’s always something new to learn!
MTAR: What inspired you to write your first book?
C.J.: The desire to write as been in my heart since I was a kid. I would often write little stories for school about the adventures of my pets. I loved to read as well, so it was a natural fit to think about writing a longer work. When I first started Thicker than Blood, my first novel, I didn’t realize it would be my first book. I didn’t realize it would even be book length! But a little idea was planted in my head… what if I wrote the story about two estranged sisters, one a Christian, the other not? That’s really all I knew at the time.
MTAR: Which book do you recommend for a reader that is new to your writing?
C.J.: I have three novels out right now, Thicker than Blood, Bound by Guilt, and Ties that Bind. They are all connected to each other but can also be read by themselves. I always make sure each book can stand on its own, but I’d recommend reading Thicker than Blood first to get the whole feel. That being said, I know of many readers who’ve picked up Ties that Bind or Bound by Guilt and had fun going back.
MTAR: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
C.J.: I’m very fond of all the characters I’ve written (well, except for the villains!) and I could see myself going back to any number of them again. When I finished Bound by Guilt, I knew I wanted to know more about the main character, Roxi Gold, which is partly why I included her in Ties that Bind. Something I’d love to address again, though in a different way, is someone finding out they have a family (mother/father/siblings) that they didn’t know about. And I love putting characters in peril with nothing but the clothes on their backs! I do think I’ll always include the theme that no one is ever too far gone for God to love.
MTAR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
C.J.: Many of the characters I write about think they’re unworthy of love, whether it be from God or those around them. I want readers to see through the journeys my characters take that this is simply not true. In Ties that Bind particularly, I also want to show that even those who grew up knowing the Lord but maybe walked away from it later in life, are welcome back in His arms. I think sometimes Christians who fall away in one aspect or another are even harder on themselves than unbelievers who have a past. One of my characters says in the story that she thinks God especially delights in forgiving his children. I like that.
MTAR: Was it difficult to have your heroine not be ‘perfect’?
C.J.: I love writing about imperfect heroines! Even more than those who might have their lives more together. Maybe because it’s easier to identify with someone who has faults and hasn’t made all the right decisions in life. We’ve all been there in one way or another!
MTAR: Would you share one of your best author moments?
C.J.: It was such an amazing experience to win the 2008 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest with my first novel, Thicker than Blood. Sitting in the audience and hearing Jerry himself announce it as the winner was incredible! I was shocked! I think I walked up on the stage in a daze. I’ll never forget that moment. It’s how I got my start in publishing, and I’ll forever be thankful to Jerry, the Christian Writers Guild, and the folks at Tyndale House who first brought Thicker than Blood into the world. And seeing my cover for the first time at the conference? Incredible.
MTAR: What are two things on your bucket list?
C.J.: Being able to spend time and actually work on a cattle ranch for a few days/weeks. I would love to experience that. I know it would only enrich my writing. Second, doing a ride along with a police officer (and hopefully experiencing something exciting with him/her). Another experience I’d love in the name of research!
MTAR: What would your fans be surprised to know about you?
C.J.: Wow, that’s a hard question. I’ve been in 46 of the U.S. states… all before the age of 25. I had some fun and crazy experiences in my late teens/early twenties traveling the country in an RV with my family for our antiquarian book business. In fact, the book sale scenes in Ties that Bind are not made up. They actually happened (with some variation) to me. Actually, I had to tone down some of the craziness because I didn’t think anyone would believe me if I put it in exactly as it happened!
MTAR: Your book covers are beautiful and so perfect for the story. How do you do that?
C.J.: Why thank you! The original covers for Thicker than Blood and Bound by Guilt were designed by the awesome team at Tyndale. However, the cover of Ties that Bind and the new covers for TTB and BBG I designed myself. It was such a tricky balance deciding which aspects of the story to illustrate, and I spent hours trying to learn the best way to do it. Still so much to learn, let me tell you! But I’m thrilled you like them.
MTAR: Were you concerned that people would not relate to a main character that is getting out of prison?
C.J.: Honestly, not really, because in Brynn’s story in Ties that Bind I was able to show how she got to where she was. And once readers knew that, I believed they would relate and hopefully have sympathy for this hurting young woman.
MTAR: Tell us a little bit about your involvement in the antiquarian book world and maybe explain it for some?
C.J.: I started book scouting for local bookstores with my sister when I was seventeen. That quickly grew into a business that involved our whole family, and we still are involved in it to this day! Things have changed over the years, but it’s still my day job.