Elizabeth Goddard Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. Well I’m a mother of four and a pastor/potter’s wife. I’ve been writing for publication around thirteen years during which time I’ve written over forty novels. Before I was married I traveled frequently with my job, and then after I was married, moved frequently because of my husband’s job! I love to travel and to learn about new places!

Q: As a child or teenager, did you ever dream of being an author?
A. I was an avid reader from an early age and my mother planted that seed of a dream in me. I was probably eighty or nine when I’d written a poem that she loved and she said she was going to “send it in”—back in those days, we didn’t email a manuscript. We mailed it to a publisher with a self-addressed stamped envelope so we could learn if we were rejected or accepted. Things have changed so much, and then again, we do still wait anxiously to hear about the acceptance (or rejection). I’m not sure she ever mailed the poem, but I’m sure the publishing seed was planted in good soil, and she continued to water it over the years.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Covert Cover-up?
A: This is the second book in my Mount Shasta Secrets series for Love Inspired Suspense. I had so much fun writing this story! As my editor put it—it’s like a spy story without actually being a spy story, which is perfect for Love Inspired Suspense. Katelyn Bradley is sister to the main character in the previous book, and she is a private investigator. She helps a neighbor during a middle-of-the night break-in and gets pulled into danger, mystery and intrigue.

Q: Where did the idea for this story come from?
A. This was just one of those random storylines. That said, I’ve shared with readers that I always get my inspiration from the setting. This time, the Castle Crags inspired me . . . and I knew that my hero would be a rock climber. Castle Crags are rock formations in the region of Mount Shasta in Northern California. What could happen between a private investigator and a rock climber? I just let my imagination run with it.

Q: Tell us a little about your main character and how you developed him/her.
A. I knew that Katelyn Bradley had been a law enforcement officer in the past and I built on that, asking why did she leave? Something happened to her in that role and she shifts to private investigating. For rock-climber Beck Goodwin, he traveled the world climbing with a team where he met his wife, and from that, I kept asking what if. . .what if he didn’t know who his wife really was? This phase of story development is so fun!

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. Let’s see, many things actually! My primary focus is on writing book 2 in my Rocky Mountain Courage series for Revell—book 1 releases in April 2021. I just turned in book 3 in my Mount Shasta Secrets series, and will be starting on book 4 in that series next month!

Q: Where do you escape for some quiet time?
A. My only “escape” is in my recliner where in the evening I read my Bible on my iPad—but usually a lot is going on around me even then.

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t writing?
A. I love that writing allows me to explore many possible careers! I have so many interests I’m not exactly sure what I would do. If I weren’t writing, I might go back to get another degree and maybe get into the medical field or some kind of biological science.

Q: What one thing have you always wanted to do but couldn’t afford to do?
A. There are a lot of those things that I would love to do but can’t afford to do, but what has been foremost in my thoughts recently is an Alaska cruise! I hope to get the chance one day soon.

Q: I’m an avid gardener and have to ask what kind of flower you would be and why?
A. I love Christmas Cactus so I’m just going to go with that.