I’m delighted to interview one of my favorite authors, Beth K. Vogt. Not only is Beth a multiple-award-winning author for her heartwarming Christian contemporary romance novels and women’s fiction novels, but she is also known in the writing industry for being a generous mentor for other writers. Mistakes and God’s grace are recurring themes in Beth’s books.
Beth, I have three questions for you.
What – if anything – held you back as a writer in the beginning?
One major thing that held me back as a beginning writer was thinking something other people did – my editors, my publishers, a publicist – would produce success for me. It was most important for me to realize that what success I achieve is in God’s hands and in His timing. But I’m responsible to do the work. To write the best books I can. To show up. To trust God for both the accolades and the closed doors.
What are your writing themes?
One of my major themes is the belief that God is a relationship-oriented God. That He steps into our world, into our messy lives, and says, “I have more for you than this.” There is always a spiritual thread in my novels. The theme of family – and how relationships are complicated – also shows up in my books. As you mentioned earlier, the theme of mistakes and God’s grace are examined in my stories – how we are not the sum of our mistakes.
What are the “big rocks or big goals” in your writing?
This is such an intriguing question. One of my “big rocks” in my writing is to up my writing game with every book I write. I was challenged to do this by one of my mentors and close friend, NYT’s bestselling author Rachel Hauck. When I start a new manuscript, a pick one area of craft to focus on improving: dialogue or setting or layering in emotion. In my most recent book, I tried to improve the level of humor. Another big rock? To celebrate other authors’ successes. Another author’s success does not cast me into a shadow. It’s a true joy to applaud when a writer-friend wins an award or lands a contract or publishes a book.
Bonus question:
How does your relationship with God influence you as a writer?
The closer I stick to God, the more secure I am in who I am – in Whose I am – and the more confident I can be with all the ups and downs that come in publishing. The writing life is a faith walk. I also pray over every book I write. One of the last things I do before I push SEND on a manuscript is to pray over the book I’ve written – that my words will reflect God to my readers, one page at a time, wherever they are in their faith journey.
About Beth K. Vogt
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.”
She’s authored 15 novels and novellas, both contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a RITA® finalist. Her newest contemporary romance novel, Dedicated to the One I Love, will release in early summer 2023. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2019 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers’ group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.
Preorder Beth’s book on Amazon