Ask the Author

Jayna Baas bio and about page

Have a question you’d like me to answer? Contact me here—I’d love to hear from you! See my answers to FAQs below and visit my About page for a quick introduction to who I am and what I write.

Want to stay up to date on my projects and be the first to know about new releases? Sign up for my newsletter to get updates, stay in touch with me, and receive a free short story.

.

Jayna Baas’s FAQs

Q. What inspired you to write Preacher on the Run?

A. I’ve always loved history, especially the American Revolutionary era, and I love heroes who stand up for what’s right in the face of danger. When I learned about the combination of persecution and freedom-fighting in the Regulator Uprising, it instantly sparked my imagination. I like to tell stories most people have never heard—my favorite history is the little-known stuff, and this era struck me as the perfect setting for an action-packed, danger-filled story of lived-out faith. I originally set out to write a book set later in the Independence era, planning to treat the Regulator Uprising as a prequel, but I eventually changed my mind and went back to start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). As each character developed in my mind, the story started to take on a life of its own.

 

Q. What are you currently working on?

A. My work-in-progress is the second book in the For Liberty & Conscience trilogy, set during the British campaign of North and South Carolina in 1780–81. Progress is slow, but I’m trusting God’s timing and thanking him for my readers’ patience! Check my Works in Progress page or subscribe to my newsletter for updates.

 

Q. How many books are you planning in the For Liberty & Conscience series?

A. I have a total of three books in mind for this series. The first book, Preacher on the Run, is set in 1771. The second book will take place in 1780–1781, during the height of the Revolutionary War in North Carolina. I hope to set the third book in the mid-to-late 1780s, during settlers’ attempt to form an independent state on the North Carolina frontier. I may add a few more short stories like Promise of Refuge if the notion takes me. All of this is subject to change without notice, of course. The Lord has veto power.

 

Q. Do you write down your thoughts, or do you just stash them away in your mind? If you write them down, how do you keep them organized?

A. I stash a lot of my ideas in my head, but I’ve learned to write them down, too, or I’m apt to forget something important. I don’t have much of an organizational system; I just jot things down in a notebook or type short descriptions in computer files with really creative names like “Brainstorming.” An added plus to writing down my thoughts is going back through them later and rediscovering all the fun stuff I didn’t use!

 

Q. What is the most number of books you’ve been working on at once?

A. I would say three, possibly four—especially in my earlier writing days, when I was turning out shorter kids’ sports stories and mysteries (most of which will never see the light of day). That’s not to say I’ve finished all the books I’ve worked on simultaneously! Right now I’m trying to focus on one book at a time, but that hasn’t kept me from writing short stories and brainstorming about the next project on my horizon. After all, I do have to plan ahead, don’t I? 😉

 

Q. Where can I find you online?

A. Lots of places! This website and my newsletter are the best ways to stay in touch and up to date, but I also connect with readers on Goodreads and BookBub.