1–What is the title of your latest release?
2–What is it about?
From the back cover: When Meg Whitaker’s father decides to sell the family’s lobster-fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should inherit it instead. Though she’s never had any interest in running the small fleet—or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness—she can’t stand to see Oliver Ross take over. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.
Oliver isn’t proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg—an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, and he’s not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.
Meg’s father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg must work the business together, and at the end of the season, he’ll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren’t what they expected.
3–What do you love about the setting of your book?
I adore Prince Edward Island. It’s my absolute favorite place in the world, and not just because it’s beautiful—although it is. The island is infused with a gentle peace, a quietness that gives room for the soul to breathe. I’ve always found it to be a place of restoration, so I love setting stories there of heartache and healing. BEYOND THE TIDES is the first book in a new series set in Victoria by the Sea, PEI. This quaint village on the southern shore is filled with artists and actors, and all the joys of small-town life.
4–How did your main character(s) surprise you?
Meg perpetually surprised me as I wrote her story. At first, I thought she was holding a grudge for ten years. Which she was. But as I got to know her, I realized that her pain went so much deeper, and her anger stemmed from that pain. I distinctly remember hearing a line in my head—a line that encompassed her whole story and made sense of everything she had done up until that point. I won’t give the line away—as it’s integral to the story—but it surprised me and broke my heart at the same time. I think it did the same for Oliver too.
5–Why will readers relate to your characters?
In Oliver and Meg, readers will find flawed characters who genuinely love the people in their lives, and I think that’s most of us. Despite regrets and past heartache, we are all doing the best we can to love and care for those in our lives. I definitely related to Meg as she tries to figure out how to love her mom through a terrible diagnosis.
6–What was one of your biggest challenges while writing this book (spoiler-free, of course!)?
My biggest challenge while writing this book was really personal. Three months before the book was due, my dad went into cardiac arrest and was taken to the local hospital and then life-flighted to a larger hospital a few hours away. By a miracle, my dad survived. A Cadillac of pacemakers is keeping his heart pumping, and he’s doing amazingly well a year later. We’re all so thankful. But those days of uncertainty—and several weeks when we couldn’t see him due to Covid restrictions while he was in the hospital—were a blunt reminder that life is so short, and we’re not guaranteed even another day. It absolutely changed the trajectory of this story, but it also changed me. Writing this book helped me process what my family had been through and also reminded me that God is with me through every storm.
7–Do you look forward to or do you dread the revision process?
I tend to fear the revision process, but when it arrives, it’s a relief. It’s wonderful to be reminded that I’m not in this writing process alone. After working for so many months writing words that no one else has read, I worry that the book might be as terrible as I fear. But when my editor steps in with suggestions to improve it, I remember that I’m part of a team, and I’m so grateful for them.
8–What’s your favorite snack to have on hand while writing?
I’ve been on a journey to better health the last year, so I feel like I should say apples and carrots. But the truth is that about 95% of my writing is fueled by peanut butter M&Ms and Diet Dr. Pepper.
9–Where would you go for an ideal writer’s retreat?
I love a good writer’s retreat and often get away for a long weekend, just me and my computer. The trick is to find a location that is interesting, but not too interesting as to distract me from actually writing. If I want to go out and explore more than I want to write, I’m in trouble. But it also has to be someplace where I can get out and do a little exploring so that I can stretch my legs between writing sprints. When I lived in Nashville, I loved to drive down to Chattanooga and stay at a hotel there. I’d write all morning and then walk across the bridge in the afternoon. I’d explore local bookstores and quaint shops. And then I’d get back to work. Now that I live in Arizona, I often go up to the mountains in northern Arizona and stay at a B&B that I love.
10–What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?
Anything worth starting is worth starting poorly. I think artists often have it in their minds that our first attempt at creating will be a masterpiece. It’s not. It was never supposed to be. So if you have an idea, write it. Even if it’s bad. You can fix it later. Just keep writing.
11–Who is the fictional character you want to hang out with the most? (anyone in literature!)
Nat Eaton from THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. He was my first book crush and is still one of my favorite characters ever. He’s loyal and kind and brave—and just a little bit sarcastic.
12–What’s one of your earliest book memories?
When I was a kid, my mom would read to my brother, sister, and me every night before bed. The Secret Garden. The Chronicles of Narnia. Little House on the Prairie. So many classics. We would all get into our jammies and brush our teeth and then curl up on the couch to listen to her read. I think that’s when I fell in love with stories. I also fell asleep almost every night. I probably missed whole chapters, but it didn’t stop me from discovering the joy of words.
13–If you had to write in a different genre, what would it be and why?
I can’t fathom writing anything that doesn’t have a romantic storyline. But I think I’d like to write a magical realism romance. Maybe someday. 🙂
14–What song will automatically put you in a good mood?
“The Heart” by NEEDTOBREATHE
15–What is your favorite way to practice self-care?
Spa day! A pedicure and facial always make me feel like a million bucks.
16–What can you eat and never get sick of?
Tacos. So many tacos.
17–Will you share a favorite, recent-ish book you recommend?
My TBR pile is always out of control due to my own writing and editing schedule, but I recently had the pleasure of endorsing PAINT AND NECTAR by Ashley Clark. What a delicious story!
18–Do you have any hobbies?
This last year I’ve returned to ice skating after a ten-year hiatus. I took lessons again and confirmed that I’m never going to be even an alternate for the Olympics, but I absolutely love being on the ice. It’s as close to flying as I can get.
19–Are you an early bird or a night owl?
100% a night owl
20–What can readers expect from you next?
Next is the follow up to BEYOND THE TIDES, which features Oliver’s older brother. After mysteriously being ousted from the NHL, local hero Eli Ross returns to Victoria by the Sea even though he hasn’t spoken to his family in more than a decade. But he’s about to discover that he hasn’t left his sins as far behind as he’d like and getting back in the good graces of his family will be a lot easier than winning over his mom’s pretty business partner.
BEYOND THE TIDES by Liz Johnson
When Meg Whitaker’s father decides to sell the family’s lobster-fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should inherit it instead. Though she’s never had any interest in running the small fleet–or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness–she can’t stand to see Oliver Ross take over. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.
Oliver isn’t proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg–an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, and he’s not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.
Meg’s father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg must work the business together, and at the end of the season, he’ll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren’t what they expected.
Bestselling author Liz Johnson invites you back to Prince Edward Island for a brand-new series about family, forgiveness, and the kind of love that heals all wounds.
Inspirational Romance | Romance Contemporary [Revell, On Sale: August 3, 2021, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780800737375 / eISBN: 9781493430406]
Buy BEYOND THE TIDES: Amazon.com | Kindle
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About Liz Johnson
By day Liz Johnson is a marketing manager. She makes time to write late at night–that’s when she thinks best anyway. Liz is the author of more than a dozen novels, a New York Times bestselling novella, and a handful of short stories. She’s a Christy Award finalist and a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona, where she enjoys exploring local music, theater, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She writes stories of true love filled with heart, humor, and happily ever afters.
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