Robin Jones Gunn
https://www.robingunn.com/
T4JYM: Please tell our readers about the books you have written. Do you have a favorite book or series?
RJG: I’ve been writing for many years and have published over 100 books, mostly with traditional publishing houses. The Christy Miller series is my timeless favorite because it was the first YA series I wrote. I’d written three series for children but ventured into YA stories because the girls in our church youth group persuaded me to write stories for them. They helped a lot by telling me what they wanted me to write about in the first book, Summer Promise. The teen girls encouraged me during the two years and ten rejection letters between when we started and when it was finally published. God has blessed that little book so much. It launched a series and spin offs that now comprise over 45 titles in the Christy Miller High School series, Sierra Jensen Series, Christy & Todd: The College Years, Married Years, and Baby Years Series and the Katie Weldon and Haven Makers Series. Millions of copies have sold and many of the books are translated into other languages. See what I mean when I say that God blessed that small beginning? He can do anything.
T4JYM: What do you hope readers take away from your writing when they finish a book you’ve written?
RJG: I always write out a prayer before I start every new book. In that prayer, I ask God to use the stories to draw readers closer to His heart. Over the years, I’ve received a lot of mail from readers. Every time one of their letters tell me that a book I wrote helped them get closer to the Lord, I get teary because I’m seeing God answer those prayers.
T4JYM: What comes next? Are you working on something new?
RJG: My current series is the “Suitcase Sisters” novels and they have been so fun to write. Each story is about two close girlfriends who travel to an interesting corner of the world where they see God’s hand in their surroundings and in their lives and come to trust Him in new ways. The first book, Tea With Elephants, is set in Kenya. The second book, Gelato at the Villa is set in Italy. I’m working on the third book now and will share the location and title on social media when I’m free to do so. I’ve had the privilege of traveling to many places in the world and love writing about them.
T4JYM: I see from your website that some of your works have been made into movies. What is the process like from publication to being made into a movie? What role do you play as the author?
RJG: This is a great question and I’ve been asked it often. I wrote a short book titled, How My Book Became a Movie, that answers this question more thoroughly than I can adequately share here. The book is only 100 pages and shares all the behind-the-scenes of the first movie, Finding Father Christmas. The short answer is that it was a process that took nearly a decade from when I wrote the book to when it appeared on screen. Typically, once an author signs over all the rights to the producers, they have very little involvement. That was the case with my 4th movie. I knew almost nothing about it until the night it aired and I sat down and watched it on TV. The first three movies were different. I loved the small touchpoints I had with the production company, the director, actors and the glimpses I got to see ahead of time. I had the rare experience of being able to go on set and learned so much about the process. I even got to be a walk-on extra three times!
T4JYM: Where can our readers find more info on your podcasts? What can they expect from them?
RJG: The Women Worth Knowing podcast features well-known and not-so-well-known women both in history and contemporary who trusted God. We share about the amazing things God did in and through their lives and also share the difficulties they encountered. Cheryl Brodersen started the podcast during the pandemic and invited me to join her as a co-host a few years later. We’ve logged over 250 episodes and it’s available on all podcast outlets. Some of my favorite episodes are on Betsey Stockton, Lucy Thurston, Gloria Chapman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Lillian Trasher.
T4JYM: Please tell us how you came to be a Christian and how this has influenced your writing.
RJG: My parents were involved in a local church while I was growing up and I went to camp one summer with the church youth group. On the last night of camp, the speaker said, “God doesn’t have any grandchildren. Either you’ve surrendered your life to Him and become His child or you haven’t. You don’t automatically become a Christian just because you go to church or if your parents are Christians.”
His words pierced me and I knew I wanted to give my life to Christ. I was twelve years old and continued to grow in the Lord and trust Him ever since then. My love for Jesus affects everything I do, including using the gift He gave me to tell stories. I long for readers to come to know Him and trust Him for every step of their life.
T4JYM: If you could meet any 3 people – past, present, or future – who would they be and why?
RJG: Every single women we’ve interviewed on the Women Worth Knowing podcast. They all feel like friends to me and I can’t wait to meet the ones who are already in heaven.
T4JYM: Who has been your biggest advocate and supporter in your journey to success?
RJG: My husband and my agent.
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