T.I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories. She is the author of twenty novels, including the bestselling Indigo Isle, the #1 international bestseller and critically acclaimed Under the Magnolias, and her debut breakout, Lulu’s Café.
She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina.
If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?
Creative.
Let’s talk about your new book, Lowcountry Lost (Tyndale, September 2024). Please tell us about it.
It’s about one woman who feels like a ghost town—barely existing and all but forgotten—while taking on the task of bringing life back to an actual ghost town. Avalee will face her own revitalization while working on this town, uncovering a past that needs to be dealt with once and for all.
That’s a beautiful analogy. What inspired the story?
During my pregnancy with my daughter, I was told I was miscarrying. I was beyond devastated, but then they found a heartbeat! That affected me intensely and gave me more empathy for those who do not find a heartbeat. This story is me trying to pay my love and respect to those who have lost a child.
What role does faith play?
We don’t understand why things happen in this life, but having faith in God is such an important part of surviving tragedy. We cannot lean into our own understandings. We must lean on God, seeking Him through prayer and His Word. I think it’s okay to question God, to be honest about our grief and anger, to ask Him to guide us through the dark times.
A few fun questions…
I read on your blog that you have no formal training in writing. What is your best advice for someone who feels called to write but doesn’t have formal training?
Read a lot! Not so you mimic another writer, but to understand how to structure a story. Then write a lot! The more you write the easier it will become.
You write from a deep place. Which comes first for you, the characters or the plot?
The plot or the theme I want to understand better.
Thanks, Tonya! It’s nice to have you back at Divine Detour.
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For more information about Tonya, visit her website and/or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Photo Credit: Author photo by Jordyn Strickland, copyright ©2019. All rights reserved.
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