Valerie Massey Goree Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. I was born in South Africa, grew up in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in Central Africa, came to the USA to attend a small Christian university, and that’s where I met my Texan husband. After we completed our graduate work, we went back to Rhodesia as missionaries. Our two children were born there, but when we lost our financial support six years later, we returned to Texas. I worked for the public school system for many years, focusing on students with special needs. When we retired, we moved to Washington State.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. I came late to the writing game. My memories of writing essays in school are not pleasant. In fact, one high school teacher made us read our compositions out loud in front of the class, and then she gave a critique. Humiliating to say the least. I have never forgotten her! Another said my work lacked originality. When word processors became the rage–yes, I’m that old–I purchased one and decided to write a novel using my mother’s Australian roots as inspiration. That was before I attended any workshops. Needless to say, it was full of purple prose, head hopping etc., which I discovered when I took the novel to my first Mt. Herman Writers’ Conference. Lorraine Snelling critiqued the first chapter. Would you believe I had three adjectives in my first sentence! She also pointed out what she liked, and said the story had ‘good bones’. But the seed was planted. I wanted to write something that Lorraine would accept. By the way, years later, I met Lorraine again and told her about this incident. She apologized for being negative, but I told her that’s not what I took from her critique. Her telling me to keep writing was a gem.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?
A. After the shock of hearing my ‘book baby’ was not up to par, I set that novel aside, and attended as many workshops as I could while raising a family and teaching, and kept writing. Back in those days, there were many small independent publishers, and I sent out query after query. One day, Parson Place Press said, “Yes!” PPP published my first two books, Deceive me Once, and Colors of Deceit. No big-name publishing house but at least my novel was in print. Somewhere along the journey, I joined ACFW, attended the annual conferences, and entered their competitions. Weep in the Night, the first of my Stolen Lives Trilogy, won the romantic suspense Genesis award.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Day of Reckoning?
A: Day of Reckoning is a stand alone sequel to Weep in the Night. One of the perks of writing fiction is I can create companies with unlimited resources. The International Retrieval Organization, IRO, is my super-sized detective agency. An agent cameoed in Weep, is the lead character in Day of Reckoning. Lela is assigned the kidnapping case of businessman, Chuck Davenport. When her boss allows Jay Vashon, Chuck’s brother-in-law to assist, Lela accepts the help with reservations, especially when Jay prays at the most inopportune times. I mentioned that I worked with students with special needs. I often include a special child in my novels. Jay’s nephew has fragile X syndrome, and in a round about way, helps to solve the case.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Day of Reckoning?
A: As mentioned, Day of Reckoning follows an agent introduced in the first novel. When I plotted Weep in the Night, I wasn’t sure which agent I’d highlight in the sequel. But Lela kept calling me to tell her story. Why was she reluctant to work with Jay? How did she get her scars?

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?
A: Forgiveness is a theme that runs through many of my stories. Forgiving others definitely, but what about forgiving ourselves? Lela has a lot of baggage from her past, but Jay helps her see that she can make sound choices for her future by asking God’s blessings in her decision making.

Q: What inspires you to write?
A. I guess I have three main sources of inspiration. One is very personal and may seem selfish. I want to prove to my high school English teacher that I am creative. Second, I deal with a variety of spiritual issues and have discovered that if I have my character question and find solutions, that helps me, too. Third, most of my heroines are not run-of-mill petite and gorgeous women. In fact, in my WIP, my heroine is close to six feet tall, has unruly auburn hair, and would rather wear boots and jeans. I want to portray characters, male and female, that are than their outward beauty or good looks.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I have two projects under my belt. The third novel in the Stolen Lives Trilogy is with my publisher, but I don’t have a release date yet. Justice at Dawn follows Cooper Callahan, an IRO agent introduced in Day of Reckoning. He is IRO’s training officer, and from the first time he sees the latest rookie assigned to him, he knows his life will never be the same. Remember the first novel I took to Mt. Hermon? Well, I unearthed it, gave it a major overhaul, and it is also with my publisher. Mantle of Truth, is set in the Australian outback. We moved to Washington State two years ago, but all my recent novels were set in Texas or California. It’s about time I took advantage of my new setting and recently began a story set the Pacific Northwest–featuring my 5 foot 11 heroine.

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?
A. Travel, read, and spoil our two grandchildren.