The Tuesday Ten With Angela Ruth Strong

I'm so excited to have Angela Ruth Strong here today! I've been following her on social media and joined her Facebook group. Oh my gosh, she's so fun and creative. I also appreciate her honesty! She has a new book out that she wrote with 4 other authors, Once Upon A Christmas! If you're ready to dive into Christmas reads, THIS is the book for you!

Ready to get some answers from Angela? If so, check out our chat!

Q1: Fa la la la WHAT?! When you're writing a story that isn't in the season you're currently in, how do you find inspiration?

Angela: Usually through music. Christmas music. This year I did get to write my 4th of July story, A Latte Difficulty, during 4th of July this year, which was a real treat.

Mimi: I think I'd have to be IN the season to be inspired to write about it. HA!

Q2: When you decided to write as part of a collection, how did you decide to twist the story of (cinder)Ella? Have you worked with any of the other authors before? (I know, that's technically 2 questions)

Angela: This was my first time working with the authors in the Once Upon a Christmas collection, but they've been so great, we're planning to do it again. With Christmas Ella, I started with Ella's career--I'd been wanting to write about a location director--then I decided that she could work for a reality TV show, which seems to be America's modern day royalty. After that, I looked for a setting. With those two things combined, the rest of the story wrote itself.

Mimi: How cool that you already had a character in mind and that she fit for this story!

Q3: You're pretty open about the hurt from your ex-husband and making a second marriage/family work. In what ways has God revealed himself to you through Jim?

Angela: When we first started dating, I was afraid to claim Jim was a "gift from God," which is what Jim said about me. I didn't think I deserved him, so I didn't think I'd get to "keep" him. Then God hit me with the verse, "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." Still afraid to believe God would give me something so good, I went and looked up every scripture with the word good in it. The first one was "taste and see that the Lord is good." The last one was "now you have seen that the Lord is good." I cried and I learned I can't possibly earn anyone's love. It's a gift.

Mimi: Wow! I just love that!

Q4: With your first non-fiction being sold, have you thought about writing a book for women who are remarried and are trying to figure out how to be a wife who accepts and is trusting of her new husband? I've found that piece to be extremely difficult.

Angela: It is hard. And I haven't figured it all out yet. With writing non-fiction, I feel added weight. You know, the whole scripture about how teachers are held to a higher standard. I don't want to lead anyone the wrong direction. I was struggling with this recently, and a friend reminded me of the scripture about comforting others with the comfort I've been given. I can do that. But I'm not sure where it will take me. I'm just praying this book reaches the right readers. Anything more would be another one of God's good gifts.

Mimi: I have no doubt that God will be able to use your non-fiction for those women who need to hear it! What an incredible ministry.

Q5: In your Love Finds You books, I'm guessing you've been to all of those states. If not, which one(s) do you still need to visit and if you could pick a new state to write about which one would it be?

Angela: Great question! I'll never write fantasy because I just love our world too much to create something different. I want to see it all and share it all. I visited San Antonio a couple weeks ago, and I'll be setting next year's Christmas romance there. (They have a Proposal Island and Marriage Island and amazing Christmas lights along the River Walk.) As for other settings, I just posted a poll in my facebook group on locations, and a reader wrote in "Kentucky." I've never been there, so it's the perfect excuse to research/travel. That being said, I really am partial to the Great Northwest. We are friendly and adventurous up here!

Mimi: I have no doubt San Antonio will be the perfect setting for next year's romance. The River Walk there... I loved seeing everyone's photos. Now I want to go there! lol HA! And was one of your Facebook group peeps, I loved your setting options. I lived in Washington for about 10+ yrs. It's incredibly beautiful there!

Q6: If you could have your favorite author read to you your favorite book of theirs, what would it be and who would the author be?

Angela: Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart. I actually read the prologue out loud to three people because I loved it so much. And I cried every time. I'd like to see if she can read it without crying.

Mimi: Ok, I'll need you to read me the prologue! Maybe we could get Becky to do an Instagram TV of her reading it!!

Q7: You get to take 5 ladies with you on a weekend retreat any where in the world to discuss Once Upon a Christmas. Where are you heading?

Angela: Jackson Hole, Wyoming of course! We could ice skate, go on a sleigh ride, stalk Harrison Ford, and throw knives! Christmas Ella just wouldn't be Christmas Ella without some knife-throwing!

Mimi: Well now that sounds like my kind of retreat! I did knife throwing with a friend in her woods and we cracked ourselves up!

Q8: Your editor calls you one day saying someone wants to make your book into a movie. Which book do you hope it is and who would you want to play the main characters?

Angela: I do have one book in development. Finding Love in Big Sky is supposed to be filmed as "Starlight Christmas" next year. But this has been going on for a few years now. Here's hoping it actually happens. As for another call, I think the book I just finished, Husband Auditions, would be great on the big screen. Like Confessions of a Shopaholic. I'll take Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding from this year's upcoming Last Christmas please.

Mimi: Ok, that's super exciting! I love your actor choices. I can't wait to see that movie in theaters. Here's to hoping about your movie getting into production soon!

Q9: Inspiration is found just about anywhere, but you decide to watch a movie that helps the romance thread of your story: a movie that helps write a tear jerking scene, and a movie that fires you up for a dramatic moment. Which movies are they?

Angela: Romance? You've Got Mail. Always. As for drama, The Count of Monte Cristo. It's my fave. I wish they would do a similar remake for my favorite book, The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Mimi: Well, it looks like we'll have to do a movie night with all 3 of these one day. I'd have to add P.S. I Love You to the mix though. And The Scarlet Pimpernel, I'm pretty sure no one has EVER mentioned one of my ALL time favorite classic movies.

Q10: Your next book is set in the wilderness of another country. Where are you and what genre are you writing about?

Angela: I've wanted to go to Peru for a while. My dad's cousin is a missionary there. When my great aunt and uncle went to visit, they actually got kidnapped, but because my dad's cousin had started so many ministries, she's friends with the Peruvian president, and he personally called in law enforcement to find her parents. (They were found uninjured, by the way.) So the story would involve kidnapping and the Amazon rainforest which would most likely appeal to fans of Romancing the Stone--another favorite movie. 

Mimi: Peru has my heart. I went on my first mission trip to Lima in 2013. Not going this October has been really difficult. I have to say I love that you chose Peru! As for the kidnapping, I can't even imagine! Who knew that would happen in Peru! I love the idea of using it as a backdrop.

Here's a bit more about Angela: