A: I am learning how to be more focused on readers and writers—on people. I have an amazing editor, Ami McConnell, who has an incredible capacity to love readers and the writers serving them. Before I started writing, I hadn’t fully considered how such a sincere respect for these people could inform an editorial point of view so effectively. My editorial emphasis has always been on the story rather than on the person interacting with it. I see that changing for something much better.

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

A: In second grade. My best friend, Sara Kersten, wrote and illustrated this incredible story about a duck who broke into a house via chimney. I was so in awe of it that I plagiarized her. Then I felt so guilty that I figured I’d better start coming up with stories of my own. “Sammy the Bad Seagull,” about a rude picnic-pilfering bird, was my first legitimate endeavor. But before any of this, before I could even write my own name, I knew I wanted to be a reader. At age three I memorized Are You My Mother? and caused my own mother to think, for a very brief time, that I knew how to read. So for me, reading and writing (and eventually editing) has always been a passion. With the exception of a brief detour in my college years (I thought I’d be a politician, but God used an English professor to save me from that disastrous choice), my career path has been pretty straight.

Q: Are you really related to Daniel Boone?

A: Yes, I’m the direct descendant of one of his brothers, which makes Daniel my great (great-great-great-great-great-great) uncle.

Q: Are you really Irish, or do you just wish you were?

A: I am, in a genetic, inexperienced sense. My given, maiden, and married names are all Irish, and the Irish in my genes mingles with the Portuguese, German, and Native American. Alas, I’ve never had the opportunity to visit the lovely country and must live–for the time being–vicariously through friends and relatives who have traveled there. I hope one day to travel there with my daughter.

Q: What’s your favorite Starbucks drink?

A: A grande Americano with whole milk and one Splenda, please.

A: If you are a committed book-review blogger, join my publisher’s Booksneeze program. Booksneeze distributes hundreds of books to bloggers a few weeks before each title’s release in exchange for posted reviews expressing your honest opinion.

If you represent a media outlet, please contact my publicist Christy Anderson of Litfuse Group to discuss review opportunities.

If you are a fan, like my Facebook page and come hang out with me now and then. Or you can follow me on Twitter @erinhealybooks. These are the places where I announce book giveaways and other contests. I love to give away free books!

Q: I don’t have a book blog, but I want to give my opinion of your books. Where can I do that?

A: Just about anywhere! Please do! But I’d love it it you’d leave your feedback, good and bad, right here on my website. Click on the book you want to talk about, then fill out the comment form underneath it. Appropriate comments are generally moderated within twenty-four hours.

10/28/2011 Erin reflects on themes in The Baker’s Wife with The Christian Manifesto. (Audio, 43 min.)

10/13/2011 Read Erin’s guest blog, “Why Bread?” on Book Club Cookbook.

9/28/2011 Josh Olds of Life Is Story asks Erin questions about The Baker’s Wife and The Promises She Keeps. (Audio, 42 min.)

2/28/2011 Erin talks with Calvin and Melissa of The Christian Manifesto about The Promises She Keeps. (Audio, 31 min.)

4/12/2010 Interview with The Christian Critic about her solo debut, Never Let You Go.

4/3/2010 Interview with Confuzzled Books about the place of paranormal elements in Christian fiction.

3/8/2010 “In Profile” interview with Publisher’s Weekly.

1/27/2010 Podcast with Donna Cruz of WAY-FM about Ted, writing, parenting, and the importance of capturing the hearts of young readers. (10 minutes.)

1/1/2010 Chat with Jeff Ayers of International Thriller Writers about Burn and writing with Ted.

12/8/2009 Conversation with Josh Olds of The Christian Critic about Burn and the transition from editing to storytelling.

12/3/2009 Speaking Italian with Body Cold about Kiss. (Very entertaining when translated.)

1/12/2009 Ted and Erin talk about writing Kiss. (Video.)

Read chapters 1-4

To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.

Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey.

Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.

With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.

Read what readers are saying HERE.

Click here to download a hi-res image of Erin.

Read the first three chapters. 

Promise, a talented young singer with a terminal illness, is counting on fame to keep her memory alive after she dies. Porta is an aging sorceress and art collector in search of immortality.

When Promise inexplicably survives a series of freak accidents, Porta believes that she may hold the key to eternal life.

Enter Chase, an autistic artist who falls in love with Promise and fascinates her with his mysterious visions and drawings.

Soon, all are plunged into a flesh-and-blood confrontation over the mystery and the cost of something even greater than eternal life…eternal love.

Read what people are saying.

For additional trade information and summaries, click here.

To arrange an interview with Erin, please contact Amy Currie at Phenix & Phenix Publicity: acurrie@phenixpublicity.com

Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers (Tyndale)
Edge of Apocalypse by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall (Zondervan)
Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (Thomas Nelson)
The Last Christian by David Gregory (WaterBrook)
Demon: A Memoir by Tosca Lee (B&H)
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House)
Klondike Hero by Jillian Hart (Steeple Hill)

Read the interview with Erin here.

A: Ted and I were an author-editor team for many years before we wrote Kiss and Burn. Ted and I made a good team because we have healthy respect for each other’s skills. Ted’s most recent novels have become increasingly dark and violent, so they have alienated a handful of his early readers. He desired to recapture these readers with stories that were more similar to early favorites such as, Blink of an Eye and Thr3e. When he called to ask if I would help him do this by writing with him, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. New authors have a treacherous uphill battle when entering the marketplace. To be able to partner with someone of his caliber was a gift to me.

Q: How will your solo novels be distinct from your novels with Ted?

A: In many ways my solo novels will be similar to the co-authored books, which should create continuity for readers. Ted and I intentionally created novels that hearkened back to Blink and Thr3e, which were popular among Ted’s female readers. The co-authored novels are stories I wanted to tell: supernatural thrillers with strong Christian themes featuring strong female protagonists. My stories will share these features. They’ll continue to be commercial page-turners, but they’ll also be distinct from Ted’s solo fantasy and thriller brands.

I think of Ted’s novels as parables. They say to readers, “The kingdom of heaven is like this,” or, “The love of God is like this.” I see my novels as fables, stories that explore the value of a character’s choices. Such stories say to readers, “What is the significance of one choice over another? What is the impact on a physical life? A relational life? A spiritual life?” The answers won’t always be black and white. Kiss is a fable about losing and finding memory. Burn is a fable about dying to self. Never Let You Go is a fable about forgiveness and bitterness.

The action of Ted’s novels is largely physical. In my novels, the action will be more psychological and spiritual, driven by relationships and feminine sensibilities. If Ted’s stories are like the films 300 or The Gladiator, mine will be like the psychological thrillers House of Games or Hitchcock’s Sabotage.

In my novels, the suspense will driven by high spiritual/moral stakes but not necessarily darkness and death. Christians face issues more terrifying than death on a daily basis.

Q: Did you and Ted have conflicts while writing your novel?

A: Of course we did! We have differences of opinion over every novel, even as a writer-editor team. We have different perspectives on just about everything. But these aren’t bad conflicts. Instead, they’re part of the creative process. Ideas have to be beaten up, reinvented, and sometimes thrown out. There is no better way to do this than with someone you trust.

Q: Would you ever consider collaborating with a new author?

A: That’s a long way off for me. At present I’m focused on defining and solidifying my solo career.