Author Interview with Lana Christian & a Giveaway

This week I’m happy to host writer friend, Lana Christian, whom I met on Twitter. She’s sharing about her Biblical Fiction debut novel, New Star, and is offering a signed paperback to a US winner. Be sure to comment below by December 24 for a chance to win. What a great Christmas gift this would make for yourself or a friend!

Welcome, Lana! Let’s jump right in with the first question. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a linguist, but I became a clinical laboratory scientist. All my healthcare jobs included writing responsibilities. God used that to teach me the discipline of writing.

Wow, that sounds like intense work. How do you balance writing with your other life and family obligations?

I still have a day job, some caregiving responsibilities, I sit on a board of directors, and I do creative writing. It’s tough to balance that, so I don’t hold myself to writing a certain number of words or pages per day. But I make sure I work on writing-related tasks every day, even if it’s only research or sketching scenes.

Sounds like you’ve carved out a schedule that works for you. What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

Learning new things from the research I do and co-creating with God! 

What advice would you give an aspiring author?

• Don’t give up your day job. 
• Learn both the craft of writing and the business of writing. You need both to succeed. 
• Attend writers’ conferences. At one, a well-known biblical fiction author critiqued my earliest one-sheet for New Star. Without her constructive criticism, I wouldn’t have developed the rich plot that became a published novel. 
• Be discerning about where you spend your time and money (on training as well as on marketing).  

Solid advice! Let’s chat about your book. Is New Star inspired by true events or personal history? 

New Star is the Wise Men’s story and is based on Matthew 2:1-16.

With your story being Biblical Fiction, I assume it’s set in a real location?

The setting for the first part of New Star is Persia. But, before the book is over, readers get a taste of Judea, Petra, and other places—all real locations. 

How did you select the names for your characters?

Word searches. I scour names from that historical era and pick ones whose meaning reflects a key trait of each character. 

I like that you choose names with meaning for each character. How do you tackle research for your novels?

First and foremost, I go to the Bible. Where those details left off, I dig into historians’ records of that time to learn about world events. Josephus, Tacitus, and Herodotus are very helpful for that. 

I also research clothing, jewelry, furniture, food, plants, animals, and other topics to make sure I depict each scene accurately and authentically. 

I appreciate your diligence to get the details right. What is the premise of New Star?

Studying a star linked to an eternal king ensnares Akilah in three countries’ religious and governmental power struggles. He must choose to protect what he knows of Yeshua or stay true to Magi society and its religion. Either choice could cost Akilah his life.

What did God teach you through the writing of New Star?

Bring my loaves and fishes to Him; pray and trust that He will do something incredible with them.

Isaiah 64:3-4 is my go-to reminder for that. It essentially says, “expect the unexpected, celebrate the unseen, and praise God for it.” That’s truly what He does. 

Amen! What do you hope your readers take away from New Star?

• Faith doesn’t walk in a straight line. 
•  It’s OK to question God; He can handle it.
• God is in control of who is in control.
• Whatever the risk or the cost, if God tells you to step out of your comfort zone, you will succeed in His eyes when you walk out His plan. That should give you immeasurable hope and joy!

Great reminders for all of us. Which character in New Star was easiest for you to write and why?

One of my key orbital characters—who wasn’t originally in the story—became a delightful surprise to write.

Which character presented the biggest challenge?

Akilah’s superior degenerated from having good motivations for upholding the empire’s official religion to rationalizing decisions for doing terrible things. That was challenging to write.

What was the hardest scene to write?

A scene where Herod the Great talks with his son, Antipas, was the most difficult, on several levels. First, I had to blend Herod’s genius, paranoia, and ruthlessness into a believable character without overdoing any one attribute. Second, that scene set the stage for Antipas’s motivations and actions throughout the next two books in the series. My research showed me what they did but not why, so I had fill in some blanks by crawling around in their heads.

That sounds quite challenging. Do you have critique partners or a critique group? What are the pros and cons of participating in such a group? 

I’m not a part of a formal critique group. Different perspectives can result in contrary advice; you need to discern what is truly helpful for your book. I’m blessed with a small group of beta readers who will shoot straight with me regardless. You can’t put a price on that.

Do you enjoy marketing and social media? On which platform are you most active?

In the show Little Shop of Horrors, Seymour had to keep feeding a blood-thirsty plant. Social media is voracious like that. I’m only on Twitter (X) and Facebook right now—because the best marketing advice I ever heard was “pick two channels and get good at them.” Regarding marketing overall, I treat it like a puzzle to solve. I keep a list of what I do well, too early/late, won’t do again, and so on. Can you ever do enough marketing? I do my best and give myself grace.

That’s all we can do, right? Has a reader ever blessed your socks off? How? 

One reader said he felt he was “right there” in the scene, standing next to the Wise Men. Another reader (a widely published author) said she cried because one scene was so beautiful. A third reader said this year’s Advent season will be more special than ever after reading New Star. Comments like that are priceless.

That kind of feedback is priceless. Who is your favorite fiction author? Favorite novel?   

 
Madeleine L’Engle, and her book A Wrinkle in Time. Perennially, it checks all the boxes for adventure, science, and a subtle faith-based message. I admire everything about L’Engle—her writing, witness, and fortitude. She endured many years of publishers’ rejections and constant criticisms of her writing. She said, “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” That’s part of her genius. Children and adults alike love her books because they can be read on multiple levels. 

What’s next from you?

New Star is the first installment of a four-part series called “The Magi’s Encounters.” I’ll hand Book 2 to my publisher the end of January 2025. In my spare time, I’m also working on several devotional books and a historical fiction duology. Other book ideas are in early planning stages.

Thanks so much for sharing on my blog, Lana. And congratulations on your book! I wish you God’s best as you continue your writing journey.

Join the conversation. Are you a Biblical Fiction fan? What do you love most about stories based on Biblical characters or events? What questions or comments do you have for Lana?

Be sure to comment below by December 24 for a chance to win an autographed paperback of New Star! (US only)

Please share Lana’s interview on social media to help promote her debut novel!

If you missed Miriam Thor’s spotlight on A Kringle Family Christmas last week, find it here.