Spotlight on Penny Zeller

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith-filled happily ever afters and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. Her books feature tender romance, steady doses of humor, and memorable characters that stay with you long after the last page.

Visit her online at PennyZeller.com.

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You can get a free copy of Unexpected Arrival when you subscribe to Penny’s newsletter here.

Thanks for joining us today, Penny. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.

Thank you so much, Elle, for having me as your guest.

What inspired you to become a writer, and how did you get started in your writing career?

At seven years old, I was bitten by the writing bug and began penning stories about a dog’s adventures. For a writing assignment, I wrote my own second-grade Bible story commentary of sorts for “kids.” In fourth grade, I “published” my fictional stories in homemade wallpaper-covered cardboard books. A poem published in a national magazine and a Young Author’s Award sealed the deal, and thus began my dream of becoming an author.

Later, when my daughters were babies, I began writing for both national and regional publications. I remember one time interviewing a prominent doctor by telephone for a health article. My daughters were watching their favorite cartoon, Angelina Ballerina. Lo and behold, my youngest ran into the playroom and quickly returned with her toy accordion in hand. She then began playing it loud and clear, the strains echoing throughout the house. The doctor politely mentioned, “I seem to hear some static on your end.” It was all I could do not to laugh at the “static” of my toddler daughter’s accordion-playing skills.

Magazine writing soon gave way to writing books, beginning with a children’s book titled Hollyhocks, and followed by 77 Ways Your Family Can Make a Difference: Ideas and Activities for Serving Others, which took me on a whirlwind adventure of appearing on TV shows, speaking engagements, and numerous interviews.

Two years later, the Lord led me to write my first love—Christian romance—when I received a three-book contract for my Christian historical romance series. That soon morphed into more historicals, several contemporary romances, and, most recently, Christian romantic suspense. I am now the author of over three dozen books.

I am passionate about using the gift of the written word to glorify Jesus.

How do you see the Christian fiction market changing, and where do you think it’s headed?

It’s always difficult to predict markets as there are so many variables. I see the Christian fiction market changing in a few ways. There seems to be a decline in the amount of faith in “Christian” fiction, and it’s steering more toward “clean with a mention of prayer or church attendance”. I believe faith elements need to be implemented organically, and each book is different in the amount of faith it includes, but I also believe if a book touts itself as a Christian book, it needs to have faith elements that, if removed, would significantly alter the book. I’ve read numerous times in online reader groups that readers are more confused than ever about what to expect in a book, and that many books placed in Christian categories on retailer websites do not always fall under that category.

Where is the market headed? I think as the world grows darker, Christian fiction will become more popular. Readers will be looking for hope.

Looking ahead, what themes or stories are you excited to explore in your future works?

I am super excited about my upcoming books. I just finished a suspense series and will continue with Book #2 in my Close Proximity Series. My Small Town Shenanigans Christian Rom-Com Series will gain another book this year, and I’ll be releasing two Christian historical romances in my Montana Hearts Series. I’ll be exploring themes such as forgiveness, redemption, relying on God, and God’s faithfulness.

I’m glad you could stop by for a chat.

Thank you so much for having me as your guest. It was an honor to be here!

Penny has graciously offered to giveaway one copy of her new release (format is winner’s choice! Audiobook, ebook, or paperback). Enter here.

Sometimes evil lurks in plain sight…

Oaklee Newbold never imagined her quiet life would be disrupted by a break-in that isn’t as random as it seems. When stalkers and unanticipated enemies begin targeting her every move, she learns the spaces that should be the safest are anything but. Someone sees her as a threat, but she has no idea who…or why. She finds an ally in handsome Detective Grayson Brenneman, who has his own struggles after hastily leaving, then finally returning to his hometown.

Questions mount, and danger intensifies. As it becomes apparent that random acts of crime aren’t as random as initially believed, Oaklee finds herself in a literal fight for survival. When a series of sinister events finds her held in the deadly clutches of evildoers, Grayson races against the clock to find the woman he has grown to love…before it’s too late for everyone involved.