Novelist Monica Broussard is back on the blog! Today we’re chatting about her newest Christian metaphysical novel, The 6th Heaven.
Bio:
Writer, speaker, and certified life coach Monica Broussard is passionate about writing fiction that contains fantasy elements and keeps the reader intrigued about the lead character’s motives. She also writes an occasional article for her hometown’s magazine, SeaCliff Living. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and enjoys attending national writers’ conferences.
Born in North Carolina on a Marine Corps base, Monica now lives in “Surf City,” Huntington Beach, California, with her husband of thirty-nine years. She has enjoyed various occupations, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing.
The 6th Heaven is book 3 in the 21 Tattoos Series.
Writer, speaker, and certified life coach Monica Broussard is passionate about writing fiction that contains fantasy elements and keeps the reader intrigued about the lead character’s motives. She also writes an occasional article for her hometown’s magazine, SeaCliff Living. She belongs to American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and enjoys attending national writers’ conferences.
Born in North Carolina on a Marine Corps base, Monica now lives in “Surf City,” Huntington Beach, California, with her husband of thirty-nine years. She has enjoyed various occupations, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing.
The 6th Heaven is book 3 in the 21 Tattoos Series.
Welcome back to Reviews and Interviews. Please tell us about your newest release. Writing The 6th Heaven was an absolute thrill from the start. Each moment spent with the characters in that world filled me with excitement and wonder. Many episodes are set right in the heart of the jungle, amidst the chaos and calm of nature. Not long ago, my journey took me deep into the Amazon Jungle, where life seems to pulse with enchantment. Drawing on that immersive and unforgettable experience allowed me to breathe authenticity into the book’s pages and enrich the unfolding drama, weaving life into its depths. The jungle, lush and brimming with mysteries, is indeed a magical but impossibly intimidating place. The towering trees stretch their limbs toward the sky, while the undergrowth tangles in an intricate dance. Its rivers and streams snake through dense and vibrant forests, giving life and danger in equal measure. An ever-present song of unknown creatures fills the air, voices of birds and beasts alike. It is a world that captures the soul with its wild beauty while reminding you at every turn that it is untamed and powerful, a place where peril lurks just beneath the surface of its alluring facade. The jungle captivated me with its lushness and its dangers and gave me the premise for my latest story.
What inspired you to write this book?
This narrative follows Derek’s ongoing journey and growth while also introducing Father Mike’s tale, marking the fourth installment in the series. I frequently employ jungle metaphors to delve into Derek’s emotional evolution as he attempts to understand the origins and significance of his tattoos and how to remove them.
Excerpt from The 6th Heaven:
Derek sat resting on a log, looking out toward the small stream, when he felt a tinge of excitement. He had spotted butterflies with translucent wings fluttering along the bank. Immersed in this completely different world, he watched the optical illusion as they flew through the forest with clear wings. Bright pink and orange dots flickered through the air as they flew away.
He began to marvel at it all, feeling a sense of awe and wonder that had been missing from his life. He was being rewarded for this journey; what had taken him days to realize had only taken moments to appreciate. He lingered for a while, cherishing every moment, taking in the beauty, and feeling a deep sense of peace and contentment.
The quiet voice in the back of his mind reminded him he had taken a gamble coming to this place. For weeks, he had read stories and convinced himself that he could find the answers to his questions if he made his way to the shaman’s village.
His intuition had urged him on. He knew he needed to be more thoughtful of Kendal in the future, but right now, he felt this was necessary. The path to the village proved to be treacherous, and every mud-filled step made him more aware of the risks he was taking.
What’s the next writing project?
My latest endeavors have engaged me in a whirlwind of creative projects. I am deep into the writing of the Tattoo Series’ fourth installment, eager to delve into the next chapter of these characters’ lives. This time, they face dilemmas that will test their bonds more than ever, weaving stories that intrigue new and familiar readers. Alongside this work, I am also immersed in a different challenge: writing my first foray into non-fiction. Titled God’s Classroom, this book promises to explore themes close to my heart, probing insights that extend beyond our material world.
What is your biggest challenge when writing a new book? (or the biggest challenge with this book)
The main difficulty in the series is linking the stories. Each of the three books has elements that interconnect. It’s akin to assembling a giant puzzle. Initially, you see bits and pieces, but a new image emerges as you proceed. I enjoy this aspect. I have to be inventive to incorporate details that maintain the storyline’s connection to the past while progressing.
If your novels require research, please talk about the process. Do you do the research first and then write, while you’re writing, after the novel is complete and you need to fill in the gaps?
I start my research when drafting the story’s outline and continue whenever I encounter something within the story that requires further exploration. I investigate everything—emotions, locations, objects, creatures, individuals, careers—the list is endless.
What’s your writing space like? Do you have a particular spot to write where the muse is more active? Please tell us about it.
I usually write in front of my fireplace. I enjoy getting up early, just before dawn, to switch on the fireplace with a cup of coffee in hand. The room’s darkness surrounds me, making me feel like I’m in a cocoon, allowing me to immerse myself in the world I’m creating.
What authors do you enjoy reading within or outside of your genre?
I barely have time to read anymore. But when I do a quick read, is a Colleen Hoover book. But one of my favorite authors to relax and read is Dean Koontz.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers today?
Writing turns back the pages of my life and transports me to my childhood’s boundless, imaginative world. It is a journey to the past, a rich and secret landscape known deeply to my younger self. As a child, reading was a magical portal that allowed me to escape into the vivid stories I devoured, places I wandered like enchanted territories. Each book I opened was a new realm, a refuge where reality yielded to fantasy. Now, as an adult, I construct and craft these worlds, much like I did as a young, eager reader. The same fervor that gripped me then grips me still; it is a longing to replicate that sensation that compels me to linger and lose myself in those worlds for hours, untethered and absorbed. Writing serves as both an escape and a test of endurance, a labor of passion that pulls me into its depths with every world I create.
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