Author Spotlight: Felicia Landie
About
Felicia Landie grew up in Three Hills, Alberta and is the youngest of five children. She was home-schooled for most of her growing up years and always had a big imagination. When she wasn’t playing make-believe or setting up pretend houses and shops, she was writing stories. Encouraged by her childhood best friend, she wrote many “books” and has carried her passion for writing to this day.
As a young girl, Felicia also had a deep faith. Knowing and obeying God were of the utmost importance to her. She felt compelled to share her faith with others and is forever grateful to her parents for guiding her through those formative years.
After graduating high school, Felicia intended to become a teacher. She began attending university and got involved with an evangelism group at the school. She was greatly burdened for the lost and homeless people she met, and when she came home for the summer she was unsure about how to continue reaching out. Feeling disillusioned, she didn’t return to university. Facing big emotions and doubting God’s goodness, she tried to run from her fears.
In desperation, Felicia chose to attend Millar College of the Bible in 2017. It was there that she really began to taste God’s grace for herself. While she had longed to share the Good News with others, she now knew it was good news for her. She could rest in God’s finished work without having to strive to earn his acceptance. Instead of trying to save the world, she could simply follow the One who could.
In her last year of college, God gave Felicia another gift: her husband Mark. The two began dating via long distance while she finished her education, and upon graduation she moved to British Columbia, where Mark asked her to marry him.
Felicia published her first book, When Grace Finds You, in 2021 and a second book, A Song in the Night, a novel based on her great-grandmother’s life.
Felicia has found writing to be a tremendous gift as it helps her deal with deep emotions, reflect on what God is teaching her, and point others to Christ. She and her husband live in British Columbia with their son and are expecting their second child next spring.
Q&A
Q: Who inspired you to get into writing in the first place?
A: My childhood best friend. I distinctly remember sitting at her kitchen table, stapling old school papers together to make our own books. Most of mine were life stories and fully illustrated—though not well, I’m afraid!
Q: What is your favourite genre to write?
A: I enjoy sharing what I’m learning in my walk with God through blogs and poetry, but fiction makes me come alive! Maybe it’s the little girl in me who still likes writing stories. I love imagining characters and their worlds as well as imparting truth in a way that’s not blatant or dogmatic. I think it’s refreshing for my own heart.
Q: What do you find is the hardest part of writing fiction?
A: Coming up with the story itself! I absolutely love character development, but plots can feel overwhelming and hard to stay excited about. That’s one reason I love basing my stories off real life. It makes me feel like I’ve hit the jackpot!
Q: What does your writing process look like?
A: I usually write during my son’s nap time. I think of my writing as a part-time job. It is so life-giving, but it also takes effort. While it’s often hard to sit down and write, the words usually flow once I start. I get excited and lost in the story. I also love to read what I write to my husband or mom. Once the first draft is done, I work on editing and get others to help me with this process. Editing and rewriting makes it a hundred times better!
Q: What inspired you to write A Song in the Night?
A: My mom was the one to first suggest the idea. We often heard about my great-grandfather’s work with the resistance, but we knew little about his wife. As a new mom myself who has struggled with deep emotions, I felt like I could, even in a small way, relate to this woman who I never got the chance to meet. I could put myself in her shoes and share a little of my testimony through her life story.
Q: What is your advice for new writers?
A: A couple things. First, find what makes you come alive and write for the joy of it! Don’t just write what you think other people want to hear or what everyone else seems to be writing. I’ve found that writing is not only a gift I can give to others, but a gift God gave me to encourage my own heart and equip me to be a better mother and wife. How cool is that? When my heart is full, I have more to give to those around me.
Second, write when you don’t feel like it. I rarely feel one hundred percent in the mood to write, but I never regret doing it. As with most things that are good for us, it takes effort to start… but the payoff is worth it.
Finally, let others in. Whether this be editors, encouraging family members, or other authors you read, take inspiration, encouragement, and maybe especially correction as a way to improve your writing. I know receiving criticism about your work can feel hurtful, but it’s so valuable in pursuing excellence.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from your book?
A: I hope they leave feeling encouraged in who God is. I hope they are reminded that even in the darkest night, God is near.
Q: Do you have another book in the works?
A: I am not currently working on a new project, but I would certainly love to write another book someday.
Connecting Points
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