Author Visit: Kinsey Rockett

Posted byAndi CarterPosted inAuthor Interviews

Victoria Allen is the winner of this giveaway.

To give you an idea of how I drew the winner, I listed all of the entries (most were double entries) from 1 to 65 (there were 65 entries after going through all of the comments). Then I put the 1-65 in Random.org. I click “generate,” and #38 was chosen. I looked on my list of entries and scrolled down until I found number 38. It is Victoria Allen. Congratulations, Victoria! I have forwarded the email you provided to Kinsey. She will be in touch with you ASAP to get your mailing address so she can send you the book you chose.

Victoria chose Farmyard Faith as the book she wanted to win if her name was drawn. If she does not claim her prize during the time that the author, Kinsey Rockett, has determined, I will draw another name.

Thanks for participating, everyone! Even if you did not win, you can enjoy her books by getting them on Amazon. Click the links!

Farmyard Faith >>

Trial at the Ridge >>

Prisoner of War >>

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Meet Kinsey Rockett

I’m excited to introduce Kinsey Rockett, a homeschool graduate and young author of the Whatsoever Stories (her website). So far, she has written and published three novels: Farmyard Faith (true humorous tales of growing up on a farm) and two historical novels, Prisoner of War and Trial at the Ridge. I bought her Farmyard Faith last summer at a homeschool conference in Spokane, WA, and it’s truly hilarious. It sounded so similar to the wacky things that happen on the Ross Ranch that I passed the book along to my daughter’s family for their enjoyment.

Kinsey loves serving the Lord in different ways and is grateful for the experiences He has given her that have helped her grow in Christ. All three of her books are faith-based and strong in Christian values. But hey! Let’s let Kinsey tell her story in her own way.

BONUS: A giveaway from Kinsey!

Kinsey is offering any one of her three novels as a giveaway to Andi blog fan readers. In order to enter the giveaway, you will need to comment with your first name and the book you would choose if you win. Also, if you comment a second time (with your name) and ask Kinsey a question, you will be counted as two entries. She will be delighted to answer any and all questions.

1. First of all, give us a few tidbits about yourself, Kinsey.

I’m a 24-year-old daughter of the King, a homeschool graduate, and an enthusiastic country/farm girl.  Books have been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember and have influenced my life in numerous ways. I just plain love a good story, but some of my favorite categories are historical fiction, missionary biographies, mysteries, and allegories. When I was 16 and beginning my senior year of high school, my parents put together an English course for me that centered around writing a novel. During that course I wrote Trial at the Ridge and published it two years later.

2. So, you wrote your first book at age 16. Is that the first time you ever put pencil to paper (or words on a computer), or did you begin your writing journal a little earlier in life?

I first tried my hand at creative writing at about age 6.  During my childhood, I completed a few short stories, but many others fizzled out early on. When I was eleven, I began penning poetry, and for the next several years most of my creative writing landed in the poetic realm. I put together in print a collection of poems for family and friends.

3. Wow, Kinsey. That sounds a bit like my early journey. I was really into poems and one of my poems was “published” in the teacher’s lounge (they hung it up) in the third grade. Now? I doubt I could write a poem to save my life. 😊 So, which do you prefer to write now—poetry or narrative stories and why?

I prefer narrative stories.  I find them to be easier because the structure is more relaxed.  In addition, stories provide the opportunity to create vivid characters, which is one of my favorite aspects of a good book.  I enjoy the plot-building process as well, especially imagining what readers might think or feel with each new twist.  More recently I also gained some nonfiction experience through writing a column for a Christian young ladies’ magazine for several years, but story-craft remains my favorite.

4. What happened next? Did you transition from poetry to stories with ease? Or did you struggle to finish your stories and make them engaging to readers?

Writing a real book had been something of a dream of mine for a few years, but I struggled to put something together that I felt was engaging. As a result, most of my story ideas either never materialized or were never finished. Finally, I high school, I read the book How To Write a Story by Lee Roddy.  It outlined a method for structuring a story so that it catches and holds a reader’s attention.  I was a bit skeptical at first and decided to try a full-length book my own way.  Several months later, I had a 29,000-word practice attempt whose only real merit was that I had actually finished it.  (That story is still on my computer, awaiting a complete rewrite someday.)  Realizing that my efforts needed help, I decided to give Lee Roddy’s structure a try. It revolutionized my writing! I was able to identify and correct areas of weakness, and in the spring of 2015 I completed my first successful manuscript, Trial at the Ridge.

5. You told me in one of our emails that one of the Circle C books really impacted you. As a young adult, I would expect it would be a Milestones or at the very least, an Adventures book. I was surprised when you shared that Andi’s Circle C Christmas really impacted your life (go figure). Can you share how an early chapter book for children ages 6-9 could make an impression on a 20-something young woman?

Shortly before reading that little book, I had found myself unexpectedly and unintentionally saddled with an enormous (6-month) project.  Although I knew it was what the Lord wanted me to be doing, I still was not very happy about it. When I read Andi’s Circle C Christmas, the Lord prompted me that a “gift” I could give Him would be to choose to have a cheerful attitude about the project and give it (and Him) my best effort even when I didn’t feel like it. That was such a timely message!

6. You are passionate about writing for the glory of God, and you want to encourage other aspiring authors to have that same desire. Please expand on what you mean by that and how it works out in your writing journey, sometimes in ways you never imagined.

The written word is so incredibly powerful, which is one of the reasons I’m passionate about writing for the glory of God. The purpose should be for Him alone—speaking His truth in love and encouraging others to embrace that truth and live it. One of the most special aspects of my writing journey has been seeing the Lord’s hand in this process, sometimes in incredible ways. For example, I do plan out a rough plot in advance, but much of the in-between details come from the Lord along the way. More than once, I haven’t known how to wrap up a chapter, and He gave me an on-the-spot idea, once in a way that significantly influenced the overall plot. That was a blessing!

7. That’s awesome. Can you share another time in your writing, perhaps something that seemed small and random to you at the time but later ended up making a huge impact on your characters or the plot?

When I was working on Trial at the Ridge, I came to a spot where a scene felt like it needed something extra. So, on the spur of the moment, I added a minor personality tweak to a character named Zach. I made him afraid of heights. Just a tiny thing, right? Well . . . a year and a half later, I ran into a dilemma when I brought my first book’s central characters into a new adventure, Prisoner of War. Zach was supposed to be part of an Army Air Force team carrying out special missions via airplane, and I had already established that he was afraid of heights. Whoops. Not such a minor character tweak, after all. Had I now ruined my second book because of what I’d done on the spur of the moment in the first book? But the Lord knew what He was doing. Not only did the story end up working, but Zach’s fear of heights also created a unique stage for a very special theme. I really want to encourage you young writers to commit your work into the Lord’s hands. I think you will be amazed at what He does!

8. I love how a random character tweak becomes a major theme in the character’s life later on. Nice twist. Since you mentioned those novels, can you give a brief overall summary of each of your books? This way, readers can get an idea of which book they would like to choose if they win the giveaway. For more detailed overviews, go here: Whatsoever Stories.

Trial at the Ridge

Set in 1924, this is the story of two young brothers who are working to save their family’s farm.  Limited by a thirty-day deadline and faced with many hindrances, they must learn to trust the Lord with their home and future.

Prisoner of War

Set in the dark days of early 1943, this story follows the central characters of Trial at the Ridge as they serve in a special Army Air Force team in World War II.  The Gospel message clearly shines from this riveting tale of a pilot, a prisoner, and a parachute.

Farmyard Faith

Initially raised in town, I became a “farm girl” by immersion method at age nine.  This book, drawn from a decade of country and farm life, is a collection of my true adventures and the lessons they teach.

9. What about a fun fact about writing any of the books you just described?

When I started plotting Prisoner of War, which has a pilot as a central character, I knew next to nothing about aviation or airplanes. My brother, who loves to help me with research, located a 1945-edition B-24 Liberator pilot’s training manual for me to read and study. I was grateful for the document but suspected that it would be a dull read. However, after devouring the manual four times, one of my new goals is to earn my private pilot’s license (in the not-too-distant future, I hope).

10. Besides writing, what do you like to do, and do you have any current writing projects?

Currently I am in training as a Biblical counselor. During my free time I enjoy playing the piano, singing for the church choir, working on needlework projects, playing games with my family, or corresponding with friends. Although I don’t have a current writing project, I do have a number of story ideas and hope to write and publish more books in the future.

11. And the final question. Where can readers get hold of your books (for readers who do not win the giveaway)? 😊

Click the book covers to buy them on Amazon (or to “look inside” the books).

Win one of Kinsey’s three books!

Comment with your first name and which book you would love to win if your name is drawn. Comment a second time with a question for Kinsey and it will be counted as an extra (bonus) entry. Kinsey would love to answer your questions. (Don’t forget to include your email in the pre-posting box so Kinsey can notify you of your win and get your mailing address.) Giveaway runs 7 days (Monday, February 6 – Sunday, February 12 @5pm PT. Winner announced Monday, February 13),

Thanks for taking the time to answer all of my questions, Kinsey. It’s been a lot of fun talking with you. I hope readers have enjoyed our time together too. You can contact Kinsey Rockett through her website, WhatsoeverStories and then click the “contact” tab. I’m sure she would be delighted to hear from you!

Published by Andi Carter

I'm the main character in the Circle C Adventures series. I live on a huge cattle ranch in 1880s California. These are my adventures.

151 thoughts on “Author Visit: Kinsey Rockett”

    1. Yes, two. I have an older brother by birth, and just a few years ago the Lord also gave me an “adopted” younger sister. I had been specifically praying for a younger sister for 14 years, and I can definitely say that the Lord’s answers are worth waiting for! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    1. My favorite nonfiction book is “Speak Truth in Your Heart” by Sarah Mally. The concepts in it have dramatically changed my life in the last couple years. My favorite fiction book is a little harder to pick, but one of the top ones is “Enemy Brothers” by Constance Savery. It is set (and was written!) in Great Britain during the early part of WWII and is a vivid illustration of the power of Biblical love.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Currently we just have 11 ducks and one cat. In the past we have raised laying chickens, meat chickens, laying ducks, meat ducks, geese, dairy goats, meat goats, rabbits, honeybees, and pigs, plus of course a couple of barn cats to make sure we did our job right. 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  11. This is super cool Kinsey!!!
    Thanks for hosting a giveaway and doing a post with Mrs M!
    If I did win I think I’d like Farmyard Faith, seems like a great book! Well, they all do! 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Yes, they do. Trial at the Ridge has a frontispiece. Prisoner of War has a frontispiece and three additional illustrations. Farmyard Faith has a photograph with every chapter.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. I have previews of all three books on my website, so if you like you can go there and see what the illustrations and photos are like.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Yes, I have two, an older brother and, as of just a few years ago, an “adopted” younger sister. I became a Christian at age 4. During my childhood I was happy that my sins were forgiven and glad that the Lord heard my prayers, but I didn’t have a day-by-day reliance on Him. Then, in my mid-teens, He allowed some very challenging circumstances into my life and convicted me that there were still aspects of my heart that I hadn’t surrendered to Him. He wanted all of me, and He wanted me to want all of Him. I was 4 when He redeemed my life, but 17 when I fully surrendered to His transforming work in my life. Now, seven years later, I gladly testify that my Lord is the God of hope, that His mercies are new every morning, and that He who promised is faithful.

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    1. With fiction writing, I encourage other young writers to plan the basic story structure in advance. Who is the central character, what problem or goal is he trying to solve or achieve, how will this ultimately happen, and what main challenges will he encounter along the way? As I learned the hard way through my writing journey, if you know where you’re going, it is a whole lot easier to get there! 😉 Also I would recommend looking for tools/instruction in both content (what is in the story) and delivery (how the words are put on paper.) There are a number of excellent resources out there for both aspects of the process. Fun fact, I frequently use techniques from my high school poetry course in my narrative writing.

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    1. Finding time to write has actually never been difficult for me. My first book was a part of school, so I worked on that partly during school time and partly during my free time. I wasn’t in sports or many other extracurricular activities (though I did take piano lessons), so I think that freed up a lot more time for writing and other pursuits. Then, once I graduated, it was easy to fit a block of “writing time” during the time I normally would have been doing school. Of course, seasons of life do change, and on future books I’m pretty sure I will have to schedule the time more carefully. And sometimes it’s not the right season to write because other commitments need to take higher priority.
      As for siblings, I have two: a big brother and, most recently, an “adopted” little sister.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Hi Ellie, I don’t see a spot to reply directly to your latest post, so I’ll stick the answer up here. 🙂
      For finding time to write, there are a few possibilities that come to mind. Sometimes it can work to creatively rearrange or find those little “time slots” during the day. When I was working on Trial at the Ridge, I would sometimes get up early and write for a half hour before chores if I had gotten to bed early the night before. When I have a book in progress, my family and I often discuss ideas together in the car or around the dinner table, which has led to some great brainstorming sessions. Sometimes it just comes down to time replacement. When I first started writing in earnest, I had to set aside much of my free reading time in order to accommodate. Exactly what the time replacement has looked like for me has varied with different books and different seasons, but overall it has come down to selecting which tasks/activities to prioritize and which to set aside. I think it is helpful also to identify when you tend to write best and to try to maximize those times. I generally work best in the morning, so I like to schedule writing projects as my first major task of the day after chores and such are done. I hope that’s helpful. 🙂
      Wow, that’s great! Sounds like a fun houseful. 🙂 I do get along with both my siblings and am particularly close to my sister. Of course, relationships are a growth curve, and I’ve still got a lot more to learn. Praise the Lord for His grace!
      I would be happy to review your story. Thank you for sharing it! Would you like me to respond to it in another post, in the comments section at the bottom of your story, or in an email? You can email me through the contact page on my website if you would prefer to communicate directly. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Her fan fiction stories are at the link she gave you in the comments. You can reply right below the actual story so we can keep this thread focused on entries. 😁

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      2. At the bottom of the story, page would be great!! Thank you soo much for taking the time to review my story! And thanks for the tips!!🙂

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    1. The cover of Trial at the Ridge was done by Maggie Rice, a friend from church. I told her, “If a 16-year-old can write it, a 16-year-old can illustrate it!” Horses are one of her specialties, and she drew both the cover and the frontispiece. The covers for Prisoner of War and Farmyard Faith were done by Sandra Mehus, a professional artist who illustrates for Bob Jones University. The frontispiece and three interior drawings for Prisoner of War were done by Kiersti Osborn, another 16-year-old church friend.

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    1. I most enjoyed Prisoner of War. It has the same central characters as Trial at the Ridge, so I got to work with “old friends.” The plot was much more complex, including a subplot, which was an interesting challenge. Also, the research was a ton of fun. One of my central characters is a B-24 pilot, and in order to make sure the plot would work, I had to know that plane literally inside out. I studied the training manual, talked to pilots, researched the Army Air Force operations, crawled through a B-24 restored from the war, and even got to take a flight on one! It sparked a strong interest in aviation. Best of all, though, several of the plot elements work together to illustrate the Gospel message, and that was very special to put together.

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    1. I find fiction much easier than nonfiction because I have more room for creativity. As far as fiction categories, I have only written historical fiction so far, so I’m not sure how that would compare with writing, say, a mystery, an allegory, or modern-day fiction.

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    1. No, currently I’m busy writing for my ACBC (Biblical counseling) exams. I’m hoping later this year to be able to resume creative writing, but I will have to wait and see how the Lord leads on that. In the meantime, I am thinking through an idea here and there. 🙂

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    1. I’ve been doing some creative writing of various kinds since about age 6, but I didn’t really think I would ever publish a book. Realistically, I wouldn’t have completed a book worth publishing had I not gotten some much-needed instruction to improve my writing, and I’m not sure I ever would have tried actually publishing it without my enthusiastic brother prodding me that direction! In short, the Lord knew what I would need and provided it when I needed it.

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    1. For Trial at the Ridge, I already had some characters in mind from a previous story attempt, and the basic idea for the plot came all at once while I was studying my history lesson one day. During that past year or so, the Lord had begun teaching me about trusting Him during a trial, and that theme ended up fitting nicely with the plot I had in mind.
      The spark for Prisoner of War started when my brother, an avid history fan, suggested that I write a story about some of my characters during WWII. I thought through a few different plot possibilities, but nothing came together until the Lord gave me one short scene along with the idea to weave the story around the Gospel. As they say, the rest is history. 😉
      After completing Prisoner of War, I was kind of stuck on what to write next. I had an idea for another fiction story, but I just couldn’t figure out the “key” to the plot. Some years prior, my aunt had suggested to me that I write “farm stories” based on our family’s adventures, Right about the time I was thoroughly stuck on my possible third book, my mom came up with the idea to draw character applications from those farm adventures. That sounded like it would work, so I set my fiction story aside for a later time and wrote Farmyard Faith.

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    1. For the everyday sort of writer’s block, my typical solution was to go out and gather the eggs, which would give me some fresh air and a few minutes for my brain to relax. More often than not, I would then be able to resume writing. If I was still stuck, then I would call it a day. We don’t have chickens anymore now though, and the ducks lay early in the morning….so for the next book, I might have to come up with a new chore. 😉 A few times I’ve been totally stuck on a story, perhaps missing a key element or facing a gigantic hurdle. In those times I step back to reevaluate, talk through ideas with my family, and pray about it. Several times the Lord has then provided the key or resolved the hurdle. For example, I drafted ten chapters of Prisoner of War and then thought I might have to scrap the idea (or at least the best part) because of a major conflict between a character element and a plot element. However, the Lord provided the solution to reconcile those two elements, and although I did have to rewrite much of those first chapters, the story worked. There have also been multiple occasions in which He had me set aside the book I was wanting to write and to write a completely different one instead.

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    1. The target age range for Trial at the Ridge is about 10-14, though adults have enjoyed it as well. Prisoner of War is much longer and more complex, so I would put it at about 12-adult for independent reading. Farmyard Faith is about 10-adult for independent reading, though some young kids have enjoyed it as a read-aloud. I wrote all three books with family read-alouds in mind since this was something we thoroughly enjoyed as kids.
      All the books seem to have pretty equal appeal to both boys and girls.

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    1. That is a good question. I will be eager to hear Kinsey’s answer. Perhaps she will “gift” you with a Kindle version? Kinsey, what say you? Shipping outside the U.S. is very, very expensive. I do not ship physical products outside the U.S., but I do send digital (PDF, audio, Kindle, etc.) to emails from anywhere in the world.

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  45. Wow! This is so neat. I had actually come across the Book Prisoner of War online recently and was thinking about getting it! I would pick Trial at the Ridge though since its first.

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    1. That’s neat to hear! You can read the books in either order. Prisoner of War is somewhat richer if you’ve read Trial at the Ridge first since you’ll know the characters, but in writing Prisoner of War I did my best to avoid “plot-spoilers” for those who read it first.

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    1. Yes and no. A professional editor verified the grammar and punctuation, but I was responsible for the editing on all aspects of the content and writing style. With each book I had several family members and friends test-read and give feedback, which was very helpful. For example, my mom is great at spotting redundant words, my brother catches logical errors, and one of my friends would put notes in the margins with what she was thinking and feeling with each twist in the story. So I had a lot of help.

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    1. I don’t think I could pick a single favorite. The ones that come to mind are Sarah Maxwell, Kim Meeder, Ed Dunlop, Constance Savery, Martha Finley, and, most recently, Susan Marlow. 😉 I’m not familiar with Sarah Sundin. What does she write, and what do you like about her books?

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      1. She writes books about World War II romances, flight nurses, and more. I like how her books draw you in and even have you praying for the characters. I would say so far my favorite series of hers is wings of glory I would definitely recommend it.

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  50. Hay y’all. Can you guys plz pray for turkey and Syria? They had a 7.8 earthquake on Monday😔. And the death count is 7,700 so far. They could really use our prayers, especially the people still stuck in the rubble. The weather there is freezing. And lots of people are homeless. Thx for your prayers.🥲

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