Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she’d never write fiction. She’s the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice) who said she’d never marry a doctor—or anyone in the military. She’s a mom of four who said she’d never have kids. Now Beth believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” A Christy Award winner, as well as an ACFW Carol Award winner, Beth’s first women’s fiction novel for Tyndale House Publishers, Things I Never Told You, releases May 2018.
Visit her at www.bethvogt.com
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Welcome back to the blog, Beth. I’m so glad to have you here today. Thanks for taking the time to visit with us!
What is one of your favorite book covers?
I was asked about favorite covers when my publisher, Tyndale House, was working on the cover of my upcoming release, Things I Never Told You. After telling them that I don’t care for covers where faces are cut off, I then said I love the cover for Once Upon a Prince by my author-friend, Rachel Hauck. Yep, contradicted myself. But it’s a wonderful cover because there is so much emotion in it. The first time I saw the cover for Once Upon a Prince, I could almost hear the woman on the cover laughing out loud and saying, “I can’t believe he chose me!”
That really is a fun cover! I still can’t believe I haven’t read that one yet. It’s definitely on my TBR pile. 🙂
If you could go out to lunch with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
Oh, now you’re asking me to pick favorites, and I hate to do that. I’ll pretend that they’ll all get a chance to do lunch at some point. Right now, I would like to have lunch with Johanna, the eldest sister in the Thatcher family. Johanna, Jillian, Payton and Pepper are the main characters in my new series. Why Johanna? Because she is so complicated and some readers may not know what to do with her. But there are reasons Johanna is so controlling and I’d like a chance to talk some things out with her. Of course, Johanna would pick when and where we had lunch …
What is one of your favorite topics as a speaker?
When I talk with other writers, I like to teach about Story Question, the question that fuels your story just like gasoline fuels a car. And it’s the question that your main characters are wrestling with throughout the book, and that your readers wrestle with, too. In Things I Never Told You, the Story Question is: Is family always worth fighting for?
What do you love most about living in Colorado?
We moved to Colorado after eight years in the Panhandle of Florida. The idea of facing again winter – cold and snow – scared me. But I learned Colorado Springs does winter in the best possible way. It snows – and then the sun comes out and the snow melts in 24 hours. Of course, my children have never let me live down the first time we had a snow storm. I couldn’t figure out why school wasn’t canceled, but I was determined to be a good Colorado mom. I bundled them all up in boots and coats and took them to school – only to discover that, while it was snowing where we lived, there was absolutely no snow at all less than 10 miles away at school.
What was the last book you read and what will you remember most about it?
I just finished Stained Glass Hearts by Patsy Clairmont. (I read both fiction and nonfiction – and multiple books at once.) What I’ll remember most about Patsy Clairmont’s book is her honesty and the way she wove words together. Sometimes I just stopped and reread a sentence or a paragraph because, not only did I like what she said, I liked how she said it.
I love that kind of book. I’ll have to check that out now. 🙂
Is there anything else you’d like to add? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?
I’d Love to invite your readers to visit me at bethvogt.com. I’ve just updated my website and if they sign up for my newsletter, they’ll receive a novella, Revisions, as a free gift. Revisions reunites two college friends and asks: What does it take to rewrite the mistakes of the past? You can also learn more about Things I Never Told You on my website’s book page.
Your website is beautiful! Thanks so much for visiting with us today, Beth. I look forward to your upcoming story!
GIVEAWAY!!
Beth has graciously offered to give away an ARC of Things I Never Told You. Enter below and it could be YOU!
Thanks for entering! Giveaway is open only in the U.S. and ends February 20, 2018. The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody! 😉
So incredibly excited about this book, Beth! And you always host the best parties, Savanna!
Thanks, Laurie!
Hi Laurie! So happy you could join us today, girl! Good luck in the drawing! 🙂
Wonderful interview! This sounds like a great book!
Thanks, Trisha! I had so much fun writing the Thatcher sisters’ story. More to come!
Hi, Trisha! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Trisha. Appreciate you stopping by!
The last book I read was The Mayflower Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse. I’ll remember the sacrifices that were made by those pioneers.
Hi, Heidi,
I’ve heard good things about Kimberly’s book.
Hi Heidi! Awww, I keep hearing about that book. Hope to read it soon! 🙂
I just finished an ARC, “Beneath a Prairie Moon” by Kim Vogel Sawyer. The main character is a little hard to love, and yet, impossible not to love, as she struggles to overcome her fears and scars from the past. We all build walls, don’t we? So I want this story to remind me that the unconditional love of a Savior can open up doors through those barriers. Freedom that doesn’t have to be earned.
Such an excellent point, Rebecca. Yes, we all build walls to protect our wounds — and remembering this can help us love others.
Beautiful, Rebecca. Your comments alone make me want to go find this book and savor its lessons for myself. Hugs!!
I’m so intrigued by this new book! Can’t wait for it!
Wishing you every blessing with all your books!
Sue
Hi, Susan, thank you for your encouraging words. :O)
So happy to see you here, Sue! Hope you get to read Beth’s new book soon. 🙂
One of the last books I read was Focus on Love. I will remember that each person has to get to know God personally and not only through others.
Sonetta: What a wonderful reminder. Thank you for sharing that today.
Love that, Sonnetta. So simple and so powerful at the same time. Thanks for sharing!
The last book I read was Beneath Copper Falls by Colleen Coble. What I will remember is how much I still love the characters of Rock Harbor and being kept in total suspense! Didn’t see that ending coming!
Colleen Coble is a tremendous author, isn’t she?
I’ve heard a lot about that book. Gotta love a little suspense, right? 😉 Thanks for joining us, Melissa.
I just finished Phoebe’s Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher and I will remember the struggles the Quakers faced in this new world. Thank you for the nice interview with Beth. Blessings
Lucy: I enjoy reading historical fiction because it broadens my perspective — brings history to life, you know?
How neat, Lucy! That’s a time period I’m not really familiar with either. Would love to read it too and learn some of their history. 🙂
I just finished Sarah’s Choice by Wanda Brunstetter. I enjoyed learning a little about canals.
Joan: Wanda Brunstetter is such a well-respected author — and rightly so.
Very cool, Joan. I’ll have to look that one up. 🙂
The last “book” I read was actually a pre-published manuscript for a friend preparing to submit to an agent. I’ll remember how well she developed her quirky main character. In fact, I randomly think about the main character sometimes.:) — Beth, I read Ch 1 of Revisions yesterday. What a great idea to “gift” your followers with a novella!
Karen: It’s fun to give characters quirks. We all have our personal quirks, don’t we? And I’m glad you liked the idea of my giving a free e-novella to my newsletter subscribers. I had fun writing Jencey and Gwynn’s story.
Hi Karen! How fun to get to read a pre-published book by a friend. Blessings to the friend and this story. Sounds like a fun read!
“Deadly Exchange” by Lisa Harris–about exploited girls in Holland–very gripping story!
Sounds like it, Barb. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Good luck in the giveaway!
My daughter and son-in-love are missionaries and their ministry works with women escaping sex trafficking. I’m so thankful there are many ministries reaching out to these women.
Thank you, Beth, for taking the time to chat with us. Hoping you have a blessed 2018 in every way!
The last book I read is “My Daughter’s Legacy” The Dove Cousins Book 3 by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould. I learned a lot about the Civil War.
Marilyn
Marilyn: I’ve always been intrigued by that time period.
Thanks for visiting, Marilyn! I love Civil War stories. I’m going to look those up now. 🙂
The last book I have ever read is Charles’ Story by Steven Wilkens. I loved it and highly recommend it.
I haven’t heard of this book, Jan. Thanks for sharing it.
I love all the new book recommendations I’m getting. This one is new to me too. Thanks, Jan!
Land of Silence by Tessa Afshar was the last book I finished. It really opened up the Word of God. I know it is a work of fiction but it really made the Bible come alive to me.
Tessa Afshar is so gifted when it comes to writing biblical historical fiction.
Ahhhh, I sooooo need to read that one. I’ve heard amazing things about it and it has such a beautiful cover too. Thanks for sharing, Emilee!
What a lovely interview, Savanna and Beth. I’ve had my eye on this book for a while. I’d love to win a copy.
I just finished A Refuge Assured by Jocelyn Green. I loved the historical detail combined with amazing storytelling talent. The characters and settings were so vividly drawn, I felt as if I were there.
Winnie: It’s nice to know you’ve got your eye on Things I’ve Never Told You. An author likes to hear that.
I’m actually reading A Refuge Assured right now. And you’re right, it’s so good! Good luck in the drawing, Winnie. Hope you get to read Beth’s book soon. 🙂
Hello Savanna and Beth! Thank you for the wonderful interview!
The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green! It was so profound. The details were impeccable!
Hi, Caryl, Details are so important to a story, aren’t they. I just interviewed someone about book 2 in my Thatcher Sisters series. Using my old journalism skills for my novels.
Jocelyn’s books are amazing. I’ll always remember that book, for sure. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed our chat, Caryl. I always love to see you stop by!
I just finished 21 Days of Love. It was an interesting compilation of very short fictional stories written by different authors with life applications at the end of each one. Pretty neat.
That sounds like a neat book! I’ll have to look that one up. Thanks! 🙂
Oh my goodness! She has amazing book covers! I’m going to check her out 🙂
I know, aren’t they pretty? Hope you get to read Beth’s book soon, Kristin!