Author Interview | Connilyn Cossette (Part 1)

Precious Morning Gems!!!

Today I have the first part of a 22 question Q&A with biblical fiction author Connilyn Cossette about her upcoming release. Gearing up to the release of Until the Mountains Fall I want to douse my blog with different post surrounding her and her awesome books!

If you don't know by now, I am a HUGE fan of Connilyn's writing. She currently has two series out titled Out from Egypt (a trilogy) and Cities of Refuge (a saga).

I have yet to read the first trilogy she wrote (though I have purchased them), but I am a MAJOR fan of the Cities of Refuge series. I have read the first two books (A Light on the Hill and Shelter of the Most High) and gave those both 5⭐ ratings. I am grateful to be apart of the launch team for the third book, so look forward to my review on Tuesday, July 2nd which is the release day for Until the Mountains Fall. P.S it was an awesome read!

In this first part of the interview, I will be sharing the first 11 questions and Thursday I will be sharing the final 11 questions (CLICK HERE). I hope you enjoy this author interview and get to learn more about Conni and her books!

1. Is there a favorite character or one you’ve felt connected with the most in this book or the series?

I think because Moriyah is really the core of the Cities of Refuge series, I’ve felt most connected to her character long term. It’s been interesting to follow a character from the age of thirteen all the way through her life journey until she is a great-grandmother and to explore how her life and witness has affected those around her. I hope that readers see Moriyah as an example of what it is to be a light to the world, even when your influence is relatively small.

2. What was your inspiration for starting this series? 

I began this series because I wanted to explore what happened after Jericho and found myself fascinated with the Cities of Refuge and what life might have been like within the walls of such a unique place. I also just really fell in love with Moriyah in Wings of the Wind and felt that she was demanding that I tell her story.

3. How do you feel writing biblical fiction has affected your relationship with God?

I started writing biblical fiction not because I was all that invested in the genre but because I was so intrigued by my own personal research a story came out of it. I think what writing this type of fiction has done is forced me to place myself “within” the stories in the Word and to deepen my perspective about the people and places that are described within the pages of the Bible. The stories of Israel’s history no longer seem “far away” anymore; I feel like I am a part of them, as if they are part of my own history as well which has given me a greater connectedness to Jesus in many ways. It has also just given me a deeper appreciation for His care and concern for me, because without Him sustaining me on a daily basis none of this writing stuff would even be possible. 

4. What’s one thing you wish readers would take away from this book?

I hope that readers are reminded that our Father loves us with boundless, everlasting love and that no matter how far off we’ve wandered, He is always waiting for us, arms outstretched, and our names written on His scarred hands.

5. What do you find to be the most challenging when writing biblical fiction?

I would say the biggest challenge is the myriad opinions between scholars and archeologists and bible teachers. There are as many ideas and theories as there are people who study the Bible and the world in which its history takes place. There are times when the research is so conflicting and so confusing that I just have to pick a position that works with my plot and run with it, even if it's not the most popular opinion. But since I am not writing history books and instead am telling a fictional story with history as the backdrop, if I can create a sense of verisimilitude hopefully readers will forgive any differing ideas or they’ll be so caught up in the tale they won’t even notice!

6. Can you share with us a book you have read recently, are currently reading, or hope to read soon?

I recently read A Curse so Dark and Lonely, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that was quite well written and a fresh take on the familiar story. I am currently reading Finale, which is the third of the Caraval series (kinda weird/unique fantasy but some really intriguing imagery and descriptive language), and I have a number of books up next on my TBR list such as Lori Benton’s The King’s Mercy, The Number of Love by Roseanna White, and Daughter of Northern Shores by Joanne Bischoff and lots and lots more. I’m kind of a moody reader both in genre and in style, so we’ll see what I feel up to reading first. It changes from day to day.

7. What's your preference/describes you best: 

Early bird or Night owl? Night owl for sure, although my sleep patterns have been shifting lately for some reason and I’ve been waking earlier and passing out before 1am most night which is really abnormal for me. 

Pepsi or Coke? Coke if I only have the two, but I’m a Diet Dr. Pepper girl when I drink pop. (Yes, I said pop, I’m from the Pacific Northwest). 

Dogs or Cats? Cats for sure. I enjoy dogs (unless they are slobbery/shedding/jumping on me) but in our family cats are people too and there are usually one or more on my desk at all times. (And yes, there is one here now). 

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate. No question. If there is peanut butter, coffee, or caramel involved with the chocolate, all the better.

8. Which part of Until the Mountains Fall did you enjoy writing the most? 

Without giving any spoilers, there is a very distinctive Part I and Part 2 within this story and during the interim my characters do a lot of changing. Some of it for the better, and some of it for the worse. So it was an interesting challenge to work through who they started out as and how they transformed, and then it was fun discovering my hero and heroine all over again after the shift and working through how they ultimately come together in light of the changes within themselves and the circumstances within which they interact.

9. Any scripture verses jump out as you brought this biblical based story to life?

Oh there are so many wonderful ones that speak to the Father’s love for our prodigal hearts, but here are a couple that are just perfect for Rivkah. 

Isaiah 54:8 'In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,' says the Lord, your Redeemer. 

And all of Psalms 103 is a great depiction of his mercy and grace, but this verse especially is applicable to UTMF—'As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.' Psalms 103:13

10. How do you go about creating a story based on biblical figures? 

Since my style of biblical is a little different from most, in that I tell stories of fictional people that interact with non-fictional people, history, and settings, I have a little bit more leeway when it comes to story-building. But I always start with the Word and use its timelines and details as the skeleton of my novels first. Once I have those essentials, I can begin to weave in the characters and plots that I create. If I do slip in actual historical figures my preference is to make those interchanges brief and focus on how my fictional characters might react to those people and their actions. All in all I just do my best to stay as close to the biblical narrative as I can while using any whitespace or unknowns to stir my imagination.

11. How do you achieve the characterization and how do you decide what the characters should be like?

Characters usually develop as I write the story. For the most part I try to know what their general backstory is and what their wounds are before I begin, but sometimes those things shift as I get to know the person on the page. At times it takes me the writing of the entire manuscript before I truly understand the character’s motives and goals and then I have to go back before submission and layer those traits into the story so it flows well and makes a smooth and realistic character arc.

That's it for part 1 of the author interview!

If you enjoyed it please go connect with Conni on her different social media sites:

Website | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest 

Don't forgot: Tuesday, July 2nd Until the Mountains Fall releases. It's book 3 in the Cities of Refuge series. Pre-order your copy now...I can tell you it's an awesome read!!

Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover  

Blessings,