Interview with MaryLu Tyndall Author of The Blue Enchantress

Do you love pirates, kidnappings, rescues, stubborn women, evil men bent on ruining a girl's reputation, and the story of redemption that only God can give? Believe it or not, you get all that and more with MaryLu Tyndall's work, The Blue Enchantress.

When I read this book, I was amazed at the different adventures, characters, and plots were involved in a beautifully written Christian book. I think you would be, too. I just had to ask the author some questions. Believe it or not, she agreed to it listen to this new fan of hers.

The following is the interview Ms. Tyndall gave me.

The Blue Enchantress is a very adventurous book. Have you always liked stories of pirates?

Yes, since I was a wee mermaid swimming in the coral sea off the Florida coast! I spent many a summer lying in the sand, dreaming of tall ships and swashbuckling tales, and handsome pirates, of course. I also love any stories that are fast-paced and full of adventure, which you don’t often find in Romances these days.

There are many characters in this book that add depth to it. Which one was your favorite?

I love all my characters. Yes, even the bad ones! However, I related most to Hope, the heroine, because I was very much like her as a young lady. Insecure, craving to be loved and cherished, leaping into relationships and situations without the slightest thought of right or wrong or my own safety. I see many girls like this today. They want so badly to be truly loved by a man that they’ll go to any lengths, even if it costs them their innocence and honor.

I fell in love with Captain Poole. Was there a specific pirate or even actor you thought of when you wrote it? I know I kept picturing one in particular.

Did you picture Captain Jack? LOL. No, I really didn’t model him after any specific actor or pirate, but I had a blast with his character. You never know if he’s evil or good. He seems really bad one minute, and then the next you see a spark of goodness, or a yearning to be good, in his heart. He’s an atheist, a realist but then he fears a God he doesn’t know. Fascinating guy! At some point, I was hoping to write another book and give Captain Poole his own story.

Was there any particular character that was the hardest for you to write?

Usually the hardest characters for me to write are the ones I can relate to the least. In this book, I’d say that was the hero, Nathaniel. Although he was a great guy, very honorable and courageous, it took me some time to warm up to him. He came across as a bit of a snob in the beginning, very intolerant of other people’s weaknesses and faults. He sort of looked down his religious nose at people, and that’s just not me at all. However, I had him all fixed up by the end!

Of all the books you have written, which one do you love the best?

My very first novel, The Redemption. It’s the first in a pirate trilogy called Legacy of the King’s Pirates, and it will always hold a very special place in my heart. Not only because it was my first book to be published, but because it mirrors the story of my own abuse as a child and subsequent search for a father’s love.

Does using pirates add more possibilities to your stories?

No, not really any more possibilities, but throwing in a pirate or two sure certainly makes my stories more interesting! As a writer, you can take any character type and create an infinite number of possibilities.. .but not all of them will be fascinating. Pirates have always intrigued me. I know many of them were evil, but there were also those who were forced into piracy against their will or those who took to piracy because of ill treatment by the navy or because they had no other way to feed themselves. Many pirates became privateers and came to the aid of their countries during war. Some were even educated and hailed from noble families. Interesting stuff, eh matie?

Who is Hope? Is she anyone particular in your life?

Yes, Me! (Explained above) I was Hope when I was younger. My father was absent from my life and I grew up very insecure and craved to be loved and accepted. Like many girls these days I thought that the love of the right man would fill that need so I went from relationship to relationship until I had created one big mess of my life. Thankfully, unlike Hope, that didn’t entail me being sold as a white slave in the Caribbean! What Hope needed, and what I found, was that the unconditional love and acceptance of God is the only thing that will fill that hole.

If you could sail the seas, where would you go and what would you write about?

The Mediterranean! It is so incredibly beautiful and there are so many interesting countries surrounding it, I could spend years exploring the coastal towns and islands. I have no idea what I would write about, although I love the history of the Roman and Greek empires. And Israel of course! I suppose in my explorations, I would discover all sorts of fascinating facts on which to base a story. But if I really had my way, I’d love to write historical suspense tales with strong themes of spiritual warfare. Curses and mermaids and giants and heroes of old. You never know!

Thank you so much for the time you took to answer my questions, Ms. Tyndall. I so enjoyed your book and reading your answers. As an avid reader and aspiring writer, you have inspired me. I'm wondering what I could do with a pirate set in Wisconsin? Oh, the creative possibilities. LOL

If you are interested in my review of The Blue Enchantress, you can find it here.

If you are also interested in purchasing your own copy, the link is provided below.

Thank you again, Ms. Tyndall.