with Janice Thompson

What is your favorite memory from when you were a teenager?
I was a theater kid, so it probably won’t surprise my friends and family to hear me say that one of my favorite memories took place on the stage. When I was sixteen, I auditioned for The Sound of Music at my high school and got the part of Brigitta, one of the VonTrapp children. Ironically, she’s the one who makes her entrance holding/reading a book (which her father uses to swat her on the backside). I loved my years in theater and have since gone on to direct at several Christian theaters in the Houston area. A theatrical performance, like a book, is a great avenue to share a great story.

What did you enjoy doing the most as a teenager?
When I wasn’t performing (singing and acting) I was enjoying a leadership position in my youth group at church. I think I must’ve been a born leader! I was always the one trying to get everyone excited about upcoming events. I participated in Bible quizzes, church plays, choir and much, much more.

What was your most embarrassing moment as a teenager?
Ouch! You would have to ask. It happened in the middle of a huge choir performance in front of several thousand people. I was one of eight people who’d been given a solo part, and when my turn came, I got confused and completely botched it! Talk about making a mistake in front of a crowd! It took me years to get over the embarrassment (and thinking about it now still makes me cringe!)


Ouch is right. What was your favorite midnight snack?
I love cheese. When I was nineteen, I lived in California (Bel Air West) and worked at an office building on Avenue of the Stars. There was a great outdoor mall behind my building, so I’d go to Hickory Farms and buy Havarti cheese (yum!) which I’d take home late at night and nibble on. (Maybe I was a mouse in another life? Ha!)


Lol. What would you do if you found a purple-polka dotted panda in your living room one morning?Ask him to hang around for an interview so I could turn him into a character in one of my books.

What kind of books did you enjoy reading as a teenager?
Wowza. I loved great books, for sure. I loved the classics, particularly anything by Louisa Alcott. Little Women remains a favorite, even to this day. In my teens, however, I was mostly drawn to stage plays. I loved The Glass Menagerie, Brigadoon, The Sound of Music, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and many, many more!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?
In 6th grade. At that point, I’d read every Bobbsey Twins book out there and needed more. . .so I wrote one!

Cool. Who is your favorite character in the book?
My favorite character in Fools Rush In would have to be Aunt Rosa. I can relate to her on so many levels! I love that she’s a great cook. I’ve always longed to be a great cook (but never quite succeeded)!

What was the hardest part of the book to write?
There were a couple of parts that I took great care in writing: the wedding rehearsal scene (with Guido and the toupee) and the scene where Bubba’s eyebrows are burned off just before the wedding. The reason I had to take such time/care with those scenes is because I needed/wanted them to be oh, so funny! Writing “funny” takes time/work.

It definitely does! What is your favorite verse?
Oh, this is an easy one! My favorite is Ephesians 3:20 -21: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

I love that scripture because I’m such a dreamer and want to do so many things for the Lord. When I think that HIS plans are even bigger/better than mine, I’m overwhelmed! They must be HUGE!

What advice would you give to todays high school and college girls?
The same advice I gave my own four daughters (who are all in their late 20s). There is no relationship in the world more important than the relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Don’t give your heart away too easily. It might come back to you in pieces. Make sure you’re really hearing from God before stepping into a relationship, and make sure the person you’re connecting with is also in relationship with God.

Thank you for sharing that with us. Do you have another book coming out soon?
Yes, Swinging on a Star, the sequel to Fools Rush In, has just released. Here’s the blurb:
Bella Rossi's life is nearing perfection. She's got the perfect guy, she's running a successful business, and she's about to plan her most ambitious wedding yet, a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There's just one hitch. The best man just happens to be Brock Benson, Hollywood's hottest and most eligible bachelor. Oh, and did we mention he's staying at the Rossi house to avoid the paparazzi? With all the pressure surrounding this wedding, Bella's not sure she's going to make it through. Add her starstruck sister, her feuding aunt and uncle, and a trio of large, sequined church ladies with even bigger personalities, and you've got a recipe for disaster--and a lot of laughs. This hilarious romantic comedy is sure to delight both fans and new readers alike.

Where can readers find you at?
www.janiceathompson.com
http://weddingsbybella.blogspot.com/

Janice Thompson is giving away a copy of Fools Rush In. To be entered in the book giveaway, leave a comment and check back on Sunday, February 14th to see if you've won. You can enter twice--once on each post in this spotlight. If you want to guarantee that you're notified if you win, then leave your email address in the comment.

You can also watch the book trailer for Fools Rush In here: