Author Interview: Mary Pat Johns

Mary Pat Johns is here to chat with us today. She has a newly released romance out and I'm thrilled to be able to interview her and find out more. She's a fellow Scrivenings author and has been fun to get to know over the last few years. I think you'll enjoy getting to know her too. 

You say your first story ever started (not finished) was about sea turtles. Do you plan to ever include a sea turtle in one of your future stories?
 
Actually, in Countin’ On Jesse, the first book in my series, Brenna spies a sea turtle swimming alongside the breakwater. Jesse has convinced Brenna they need a getaway because of all that’s happening at work, but it’s not supposed to be a date because of an ironclad no-dating- between-employees rule. The sea turtle scene might be a tad autobiographical since Port Aransas is a place my husband and I go for a quick getaway. It’s not unusual to see sea turtles swimming around the jetties. Once, my husband even rescued one snared in the rocks.    
 
What draws you to write Christian romance?
 
Love stories are my favorite. Although I do read secular novels at times, I’m mainly drawn to Christian romance because of the character’s spiritual arc as well as the love story. Without the presence of the Holy Spirit breathing through the pages, the words seem empty. There’s just so much more vibrancy when Christ is an integral part of the story.    
 

Your first story was set in a gym. The second one includes a massage therapist and contractor. Where do you get the occupations for your characters?
 
Although the first and second books are firmly grounded in the gym setting, there’s a strong entrepreneurial thread permeating through the stories. I’m surrounded by entrepreneurial-types in my life so that part was easy. My husband is a contractor, and my daughter worked in a gym as a massage therapist before she married. Aside from specific questions, I accumulated a lot of knowledge just listening to them.  

With your newest book including a house renovation, I have to ask. Any personal experiences with your own home renovations woven in?
 
I’ve mentioned my husband is a contractor, so I’ve heard lots of stories over the years about home renovations. Rory’s role as contractor in Lovin’ On Red is probably a composite of my husband and son and their businesses, however, there is a scene where Vi chooses granite for her kitchen that echoes an experience with our current home.   
 
Can you give us a sneak peek into what you're working on next?
 
The third book in the series is a novella between two minor characters from books 1 and 2. That story is in the editing process. I’m excited about it. It’s about two characters who have bright futures at Peeps, the same gym complex as the first two books, except they can’t leave each other alone. When a prank goes awry, and their jobs are in jeopardy, Jesse, their boss, insists they enter a canoe race to prove they can get along. Both avid paddlers, they’re relieved until Jesse makes it clear they will be in the same boat for 261 miles.   
 
If you could walk us through the fictional town your stories are set in, what are your five top spots to visit?

If you need a workout, it would be Peeps, the gym complex. It’s the wildly popular go-to spot in the area. Second would be the infamous King’s Bar & Grill. It’s the place where Jesse totally lost his temper. Aside from that, it’s a cool place to hang out with live music and has great food. If you’re trying to impress a date, the Water Station would be a great place to visit. It’s situated next to the Guadalupe River and there’s outside seating, also with a live band. Late dinners are popular when the temps have cooled down.  
It's a short day drive, but Port Aransas beach is lovely, and if you’re in the mood for seafood, you can have the catch of the day at any seafood restaurant.   
 
Last but not least, what is one little known fact about yourself?

In junior high and high school, I was a band member and played the bassoon. It’s a weird instrument—I had to balance it using a seat strap because it was too heavy to hold otherwise. I wasn’t crazy about playing the bassoon, but it helped me understand I didn’t have to be like everyone else. Band gave me a lifelong love for music, and I can still pick out a bassoon part in musical selections.

This was all so great, Mary Pat. I definitely want to visit your fun town and can't wait to dive into these books.
To all my readers, keep reading for more info on her new book and how to keep up with Mary Pat! And at the very bottom is a link to her newsletter sign-up, which includes a FREE prequel to her series.

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Lovin' on Red

Rory is a wildly successful contractor with all the right connections. He has everything, except the woman who sees past his missing foot. If only the tiny redhead he’s insanely attracted to would go on a date with him, it could work, but Vi refuses.

Licensed massage therapist Vi Summers needs her childhood home remodeled, and Rory Spence is the perfect man for the job. Only he’s the last person she wants to work with. Despite Rory’s reputation as a flirt, his tender attention to getting her house right helps Vi see into his heart. Too bad her past mistakes prevent a future relationship.

Drawn together like magnets, they navigate trouble with illegal squatters, family expectations, and fire. Will they finally be honest with each other, or will their secrets tear them apart?

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Mary Pat Johns’ writing career began once she retired from years of teaching speech and writing. She’s written devotions for an online publication and had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She currently writes a weekly faith column for the local newspaper. Countin’ On Jesse, her first novel debuted in Sept, and book 2 of the Valiant series, Lovin’ On Red, will release in April. God put it in her heart to tell stories of brave veterans and their reintegration into civilian life after suffering the traumas of war.
She lives in South Texas with her husband and their two dapple dachshunds. Her grown children and five grandchildren are useful sorts who keep her grounded with her reading/writing obsession. You can find her at the gym, at her computer, or reading a good book.

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/marypatjohnsauthor/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/marypatjohnsauthor/
Website: https://www.marypatjohns.com
Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/487725d3738c/free-giveaway  This link includes the free download of Longin’ For Valiant. It’s the prequel for the Valiant series that includes the backstory of how Rory lost his foot.