This story sounds intriguing and I love the fact that the author, Fay Lamb used her oldest grandson on the cover! So precious!
Marji - Every author has a diverse background, and just like the characters they write about, their own goals, ambitions, dreams and values. So before I ever get to the story itself, the burning question that I have is: what inspired you to become a writer?
Fay -
For me, inspiration seems to say that I had a choice. As far as my writing,
I don't believe I ever had a choice. I am a miserable human being when I
cannot create with words, and from a very early age, I have been a
storyteller.
Marji - What is your ultimate goal for writing in general?
Fay -
My ultimate goal is to glorify God with what I write. For me, that means
ministry--meeting a need, reaching out to hurting people that I could touch
in no other way except through the stories I write. Most of the issues my
characters face, I have faced, and the lessons my characters learn are
lessons that I have been taught through God's loving hand.
Marji - And for some folks who don't read non-fiction, it is the only way to reach them. I love the ministry aspect of that. How does
Because of Me satisfy that goal?
Fay -
In Because of Me, promising young investigative reporter, Michael Hayes,
allows ambition to blind him. He leads his fiancée, Issie Putnam, into a
dangerous situation that changes their lives forever. Michael is sent to
prison for a crime he didn't commit, and Issie is left alone to face the
consequences of his actions. When Michael returns to protect Issie from the
man who attacked her that night so long ago, he finds Issie isn't alone. She
has a seven-year-old son. While the boy does not belong to Michael, he is
definitely on this earth because of him.
Because of Me is a vivid showing of Romans 8:28, in that all things do work
together for good to them that love God. Michael doesn’t expect a blessing
to come from Issie’s choice of keeping her son, but he receives one just the
same—and in the end, they both realize that had things happened any other
way, something precious would be missing from their lives.
Marji - What a deep and moving theme. What inspired this particular story?
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| Andrew-Lee Potts as Michael Hayes |
Fay -
The story actually began when Michael Hayes stepped onto the stage of my
imagination and told me about the little boy he knew. He told me that Cole
wasn't his son, but Cole was born because of him. That gained my attention,
and as I wrote the story, I realized it was a love letter to my husband and
to my sons. Not only do they love and support the crazy writer in their
midst, but they are found within the pages. There’s something irresistible
about a man who can love children that he didn’t bring into this world. The
hero, Michael Hayes, and my husband have a lot in common. And Cole Putnam
has a bit of both our boys woven through him.
Marji - Books are especially meaningful when they hold such a huge piece of our hearts. So while your husband inspired Michael Hayes, what actor might play him if they ever made a movie out of your book. And who would you wish to play Issie?
Fay -
Michael Hayes is most definitely an English actor named Andrew-Lee Potts. I
always saw Alicia Silverstone as Issie Putnam. Cole Putnam, well, the little
boy on the cover--his name is Jacob Johnson, and he just happens to be my
adorable oldest grandson.
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| Alicia Silverstone as Issie Putnam |
Marji - I just think that's the sweetest thing. So what line might grab readers and last in their memories?
Fay -
I tend to like the humorous lines the best, but my favorite comes from Ted
McGillicudy, a crusty old man who looks out for Michael like a father would
a son. When he sees Michael after a bit of an absence, Ted tells his wife,
Roberta, "Well look a here. If it ain't the pain in my rear already
returned. Roberta, where' my hemorrhoid cream?"
Marji - That's hysterical! And it would certainly stay with me. With so many demands on an authors time, how does writing fit into your regular day-in-the-life?
Fay -
Well, my regular working day has been stretched to about sixteen hours each
day. Writing is only a part of it. I do try to write 2,500 words a day, but
I'm not always successful. If I find myself struggling to do that, I will
usually work between 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. when my creativity is at its
peak.
I really appreciate Fay visiting with us and hope that you are as curious about her book as I am! You can get
Because of Me at this link. From the back cover:
Because of Me:
Issie Putnam’s life took a detour the night she was raped at gunpoint in front of her fiancé, Michael Hayes. Instead of marrying Issie, Michael, a promising young investigative reporter, along with the man who attacked her, and the man who held the gun on Michael, are imprisoned for conspiracy to assassinate the local district attorney—a crime Michael was trying to expose but had no intention of committing. Issie’s name is ruined, she lost her perfectly-planned future, but she gained Cole, her son—born of that rape.
On the eve of her attacker’s parole, Michael, already released from prison, follows through on his plan to return to the small town of Amazing Grace and protect Issie from the madman who promised to seek revenge. There, he meets Issie’s seven-year-old son for the first time.
Can Michael learn to love the child Issie holds so close to her heart? Will Michael be able to protect the woman he loves from the man who will stop at nothing to destroy them all?
About the Author:
Fay Lamb works as an acquisition/copyeditor for
Pelican Book Group (White Rose Publishing and Harbourlight Books), offers her
services as a freelance editor, and is an author of Christian romance and
romantic suspense. Her emotionally charged stories remind the reader that God
is always in the details. Because of Me, her debut romantic suspense
novel is soon to be released by Treble Heart Books/Mountainview Publishing.
Fay has a passion for working with and encouraging
fellow writers. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she
co-moderates the large Scribes’ Critique Group and manages the smaller Scribes’
critique groups. For her efforts, she was the recipient of the ACFW Members
Service Award in 2010.
In 2012, Fay was also elected to serve as secretary
on ACFW’s Operating Board.
Fay and her husband, Marc, reside in Titusville,
Florida, where multi-generations of their families have lived. The legacy
continues with their two married sons and five grandchildren.
