Blog Tour Interview with Lynda Faye Schmidt Author of The Holding and The Healing

I’m thrilled to introduce Lynda Faye Schmidt author of The Holding and The Healing along with a companion Journal. She is kicking off her blog tour, on October 21-25th and I’m supporting her with my interview. Lynda Faye Schmidt is a storyteller who writes from the heart. Her novels are emotionally impacting and character-driven.

Before becoming a writer, Lynda earned a Bachelor of Education. She taught in a variety of settings, sharing her love of reading, writing and creating. After her move to the Middle East in 2015, Lynda kicked off her writing career with her blog, Musings of an emotional creature. She was also a contributor for DQ Living magazine.

Here’s a blurb about The Holding

The Holding is a prequel to The Healing. Based on true events, the story takes us back to the beginning, where Cate Henderson is born in a small prairie town in Canada. Six weeks premature, baby Cate is tiny, but feisty. Even as an infant, Cate’s radiant smile lights up a room. But the heart of this novel is the relationship that unfolds between Cate and her father, William. An emotional read, The Holding delves into both harsh realities and healing journeys. From childhood abuse and bullying to the power of love to transform; it is a story of resilience, a father’s devotion, and an unbreakable bond between father and daughter that will have the reader engaged right up to the last scene.

Look for a couple of reviews at the end of our interview.

Thank you Lynda for taking the time to talk with me today. Why don’t we jump right in?

Can you give us a snapshot of your background beyond the brief description?

Absolutely! I was born in a small prairie town in western Canada in the mid-sixties. I lived with my parents and older brother in a succession of small towns until a traumatic event had us move to Calgary, Alberta in 1980. Uprooted, uncertain, and rebellious, I got pregnant at the age of sixteen and my life took off on a whole new direction. With the support of my parents, as well as a stack of student loans and grants, I earned my Bachelor of Education at the university of Calgary in 1988. I married in 1989 and had two more children. I wasn’t into the marriage long before I realized my husband had serious mental health challenges. I did my best to support him and to follow through with my commitment, but things continued to break down. I finally found the courage to leave after all three of my children were done high school, more than twenty-five years later. I packed up everything I could fit into my car and embarked on a new life adventure on Vancouver Island. I delved into healing, and not long after, I met my soulmate, David. We married in 2014 and together we adopted his step-daughter. In 2015, David found work in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and we moved to the Middle East. We lived there for seven years before choosing to become expats once again, and moved to Panama in August, 2022.

How did your time in the Middle East impact your writing?

The move was huge in creating space and opportunity for my writing career to manifest. My husband’s work schedule didn’t work well with the school calendar, so continuing my career as a teacher didn’t feel like a good option. I’d always dreamed of being a writer and besides keeping a daily journal, had written many poems and short stories as a hobby throughout the busy years of working as a teacher and raising a family. Not long after the move I decided to start a blog, and created Musings of an Emotional Creature. A chance acquaintance led to an opportunity for me to write articles for the local Diplomatic Quarter magazine. I uncovered the five pages of inspiration for a novel I’d scribbled out back in 2012, and decided it was time to write the story. A chance discussion on the local shopping bus had me reaching out to Anne O’Connell of OC Publishing, and my first novel was launched in partnership with her in April 2021.  

How does the time spent in the Middle East impact your writing?

The move was huge in creating space and opportunity for my writing career to manifest. My husband’s work schedule didn’t work well with the school calendar, so continuing my career as a teacher didn’t feel like a good option. I’d always dreamed of being a writer and besides keeping a daily journal, had written many poems and short stories as a hobby throughout the busy years of working as a teacher and raising a family. Not long after the move I decided to start a blog, and created Musings of an Emotional Creature. A chance acquaintance led to an opportunity for me to write articles for the local Diplomatic Quarter magazine. I uncovered the five pages of inspiration for a novel I’d scribbled out back in 2012, and decided it was time to write the story. A chance discussion on the local shopping bus had me reaching out to Anne O’Connell of OC Publishing, and my first novel was launched in partnership with her in April 2021.  

How did you take the leap from Teacher to Author?

I think I answer that in the previous question, but I’ll add that it was, and still is, a huge leap of courage and faith. It isn’t an easy industry and I’ve had to learn all kinds of things I never anticipated in the fields of marketing and social media, but I love learning new things and I love writing so all it’s all good.

What led you to write two books and a companion Journal?

After I published my first novel, The Healing, I had a few readers interested in the back story that was only hinted at. They wanted to know about what kept Cate in an unhealthy relationship for so long as well as details about what created her resilience. I had a dusty old manuscript I’d written after my father passed away in 2000 and it became the bones that transformed into my second novel as prequel to the first, The Holding. I received feedback from many reviewers and interviewers who were intrigued by Cate’s journaling practice, which is conveyed in-depth in both novels, and that became my inspiration for the Companion Journal.

How are readers to approach the Journal?

I invite readers to approach the journal in whatever method works for them as unique individuals. My hope is that it will ignite their curiosity and that will in turn expand their self- awareness. I would be delighted if, after working through the journal, readers embraced the idea of some form of regular journaling practice, to continue their journey of self-reflection and growth and expand their consciousness as human beings.

How long did the writing process take?

For me, the writing process is so dynamic, it’s difficult to contain with a timeline. I’m forever jotting down ideas in my journals and on random scraps of paper. With each new book manifested into reality, my own writing practice evolves. When writing The Healing, I wasn’t as committed to a daily writing schedule, so it took the longest. I would estimate each project took around a year to get the raw manuscript to light and then another year for editing and design.

Writers are often avid readers. What type of books do you read for pleasure?

Yes, absolutely, I’m an avid reader, although these days I seem to have less time for the pleasure of leisure reading, I do consider reading an important part of developing my skill as a writer. I read from many genres and my choices have varied greatly over the years. Currently, I’m drawn to novels based on real life, historical fiction, and memoirs. I also appreciate both novels and non-fiction on themes of spirituality, purpose, creativity, and living with intention.

What are some leisure activities you enjoy?

I’m a devout yogi and you can find me on my mat most days of the week. Sometimes I only manage to squeeze in a fifteen-minute meditation and breath-work session. On others, I go for it and move my body through an hour and half of postures that integrate balance, strength, and flexibility. Besides reading, I enjoy watching movies and hosting dinner parties. I love to experiment with ingredients to prepare savory dishes and sweet desserts. Recently I’ve been adding in my love of wine to explore food and wine pairings. Travel is fascinating for me, as I value learning about other cultures and experiences. My husband is an avid gym-enthusiast, so I tie up my trainers to join him in our home gym for solid work-outs on the treadmill and lifting weights too. Now that we’ve moved to Panama, I’m relishing the myriad of natural spaces to explore, including beaches, jungle-forests, and mountain ranges, but I’m not a hard-core hiker by any means. Animated conversations with friends, live music at local establishments, and connecting with people I love brings me a sense of belonging and joy.

How do you want fans to contact you?

I would love to hear from fans in whatever format resonates best with them. On my website, www.lyndafayeschmidt.com, I have a stay in touch form to sign up for emails and submit questions. I also have an author page on Face Book and LinkedIn which I check daily for notifications. I have a YouTube channel where viewers can leave comments. I’m on Goodreads, and fans can follow, review and comment on that platform as well. 

It was such a pleasure to talk with Lynda today and to support her Blog Tour. Check out the great reviews.

Here are three reviews, a snippet of those available.

“The Holding took me on an emotional journey. I could relate to Cate’s challenges and rallied with her as she found the inner strength to endure life’s tribulations.”

— Michelle Jones

“Had me captured from the first page to the last.”

— Linda Smith

“Plot-wise, The Healing is an immensely entertaining, feel-good novel…the storyline truly waxes in emotions… If you are charmed by stories like Eat, Pray, Love, The Healing is the book for you.”

— Vincent Dublado, reviewer for Readers’ Favorite Thank you Linda for sharing your time with me, you have had such an interesting life.

Melinda

Looking for the Light