Interview with Inspirational Author Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

Kathryn Elizabeth Jones has been a reader even before she could read. She has always loved books and would pretend to read even before the skill to read sunk in. She has loved to write for almost the same amount of time. Kathryn has published 7 books to date. Two mysteries, two Christian fiction books, two nonfiction books and one middle reader. She has also published short stories and articles for newspapers and magazines throughout her 20+ years as an author.

"An excellent story...She really gets inside Samantha's head in a very realistic way." --Bob Spear, Heartland Reviews

"This book is insightful, emotional, sensitive, and therapeutic—perfect for children who are trying to deal with divorce. -- Jennifer LB Leese, Children's Book Review Columnist, Fiction Forum for Kids

"This book will have you laughing and crying and wishing there was more..." --Beverly J. Rowe, Editor, MyShelf.com

Welcome back to my blog, Kathryn. This is an LDS based Inspirational story. Please tell us about your book, A River of Stones.

Samantha’s mother and father have divorced and she’s left standing in the middle of the separation. Along with her brother, Luke, Samantha traverses pain, guilt and loneliness as she takes on a new father and a new step-brother. Her only solace comes from her best friend, June, and the neighborhood kids who flock around her. One day Samantha is shown The Book of Mormon. She knows nothing about Mormon’s but soon realizes she must make a choice. Get the help of God from this new-found book, or go it alone without them both.

Samantha is a young girl who finds her world turned upside down in one brief moment. Her secure world is shaken with the abrupt departure of her father. Left behind with no explanations, she takes solace in her two best friends, Bruce and June. She is soon faced with a myriad of changes, including a new stepfather and a stepbrother she didn't want. Over the next two years, as she rapidly approaches adolescence, lonely young Sam discovers a world that holds pain and bitterness, as well as love, and is introduced to a mysterious book that could change her life.

A River of Stones chronicles the pain of divorce and growing up in the life of a young, adolescent girl. Penned with the heart of experience, the author touches the deepest recesses of a young girl's hopes, dreams, and fears as she searches for answers no one has been willing to give her. From the pain of losing a parent to divorce, to the joy of hopeful possibility, Kathryn Jones takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery and promise.

Where did you get your inspiration for this story?

A River of Stones is my first book. I began writing the story just to clear the air a bit with my own upbringing and the fact that my parents also divorced when I was young. It soon became apparent that this story needed to be written.

What age group would enjoy this story the most?

This story is unique in that the young as well as the young at heart will enjoy it. It is LDS based, but keep in mind that many of us search for God in our times of need and Samantha was also searching and found the Mormon Church. The story appeals to those whose parents have recently divorced, those who are struggling to make sense of their parents' divorce, even those who have divorced themselves and want to understand what their children are going through.

Please tell us about the main character in this story.

10-year-old Samantha is imaginative, so she imagines up all sorts of reasons why her parents have divorced. When her mother re-marries and she suddenly has a new step-brother, she is caught in the mix of loving her mother and trying to make sense of a new dad and a new brother in her life, though she has no idea where her own father has gone. Samantha is a real friend, but her vivid imagination gets her into trouble at times and she is constantly wishing for a better life.

Where can my readers find you online?

Readers can find me at: http://www.ariverofstones.com or at www.amazon.com/author/joneskathryn. They can connect with me on twitter @kakido or visit me at: https://www.facebook.com/KJ.books.

Thank you, Linda, for inviting me.

Thanks for this sweet interview, Kathryn. I hope this book will help many children to heal and to understand their own feelings when it comes to separation.