Meet the Author Monday: Interview with Shirley Gould

Meet the Author Monday: Interview with Shirley Gould

Welcome to this week’s Main Character Monday where I’m pleased to host an interview with author, Shirley Gould. Shirley, it’s great to have you here on Meet the Author Monday. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’ve spent my life in ministry. As the wife of a pastor, I taught Sunday School, preached sermons, served as a minister of music, a women’s leader, and was a missionary in Africa. I’ve had an amazingly blessed life.  Today, I’m a widow with three daughters, three sons-in-law, and seven amazing grandchildren, all of them in love with Jesus.

Being called to Africa, telling people who had never His name about Jesus was a thrill. We saw over fifty thousand converts in our years on the field.  My husband built 127 churches and 3 Bible Schools. He and I started 48 churches by doing Good News Crusades. I travel to Africa every year to continue the mission work my husband and I started. While living in Kenya, I built an orphanage for street children. We’ve saved over four hundred orphans from the streets of Kenya so far.

Our many adventures evangelizing in Kenya left an imprint on my life. I love sharing my stories when I speak at church services, mission conventions, and ladies’ conferences. I travel to Africa every year to continue the mission work my husband and I started. Now I write Christian fiction as well as non-fiction books to share my experiences with the masses.

It sounds like an amazing life of ministry. And while I think we may know, at least in part, the answer to this next question, what prompted you to write your featured book?

Writing Escape From Timbuktu was a joy for me. It was an opportunity to take my readers to West Africa and give them a glimpse of the richness they can experience visiting the ancient city of Timbuktu. Interacting with the people, walking their dusty streets, eating their food, and riding their camels transports you back in time. It changes you. My worldview was stretched. So many have never traveled the world. I offer them a trip to Africa without leaving their chaise lounge.

As one of those who have never traveled the world, I do appreciate stories that let me experience what my budget does not. Do you give readers glimpses of yourself in the books you write?

I put many of our personal stories in my manuscripts. My characters fly long flights, have jet lag, contract malaria, walk through dangerous slums, and come face to face with African wildlife. From the beaches along the Indian Ocean to the sands of the Sahara Desert, they encounter the quips and characteristics of the many tribes we worked with along the way. Driving a five-speed on the wrong side of the road, with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the vehicle, in the chaos of traffic that resembles a demolition derby was quite a challenge.

Sharing my heart for Africa through stories is a joy for me. Allowing them to see it through my eyes, hear my heart for the street children, and experience making a difference in a third-world country without the price of a plane ticket.

It sounds like quite a bit of you and your experiences have made it to the page. Let’s talk the characters you create. Do you have visuals of your characters while you write?

I prepare a photo album of pictures of my characters. I gather these pics from magazines and sales papers. And have those images to look at as I write.

I’ve taken thousands of photos of people and places all over the continent that I use as I craft my stories. Viewing the pics makes it easy to describe, as each shot takes me back to the place it was taken. Mud huts on a hillside, giraffes on an escarpment, and herds of cattle in the middle of the road give a bird’s-eye view of everyday life. I use photos and my vivid memories to keep it authentic.

Having a visual is always great for an author. Having a visual of a place you’ve seen and can go deeper than the picture is even better. Now, I know you love Africa, but if you could go anywhere to write for one month and money wasn’t an issue, where would you go?

Back to Africa! I would visit different countries, take tons of notes, and thousands of photos to ignite future novel ideas, taking my readers to another part of the continent.

That sounds like a wonderful research trip! Speaking of stories, why do you write the stories you write?

I write Christian fiction to share the gospel with readers. By showing them how the Lord works in the lives of my characters through trials and heartache, loss and times of blessing, healing broken hearts and restoring relationships, it lets them see what our Lord can do. I want them to desire a relationship with Jesus. It’s part of …seeking and saving the lost.  

You writing life really does sound like an extension of your African ministry. It’s great that God has blessed you with the opportunity to merge two very different interests into one ministry to use for Him. Shirley, thank you for being on my blog today. It was fun getting to know you and your heart as a writer a little more.

Readers, stay with me, because I’m going to share a bit more about Shirley and Escape from Timbuktu.

Shirley Gould’s Bio:

Shirley Gould is an inspirational speaker, an African missionary, and an author. She’s the founder of Kenya’s Kids Home for Street Children, an orphanage in Kenya. Her passion for missions drives her to share her stories and adventures to inspire others toward fulfilling the Great Commission.

Shirley has written non-fiction for thirty years and is writing Christian Fiction novels. Her debut novel, The Sahar of Zanzibar, was released in May 2021. On July 25, 2023, Escape From Timbuktu, was released. The sequel, Sunset Over Swaziland hit the shelves on March 23, 2024. On November 19, 2024, The Kissing Ball was released. Her novels are sold on Amazon.com. She lives in the Nashville, Tennessee area enjoying her seven amazing grandchildren.

Escape From Timbuktu:

Elliana Bendale can’t believe her first assignment as a photojournalist is in … well, Timbuktu.

Yes, it sounds remote, but it’s an enchanting ancient city in West Africa, and if she does this right, this project could open the door to a world of exotic assignments. And even better—her translator is a ruggedly handsome Frenchman. What could be more exciting?

Beau de La Croix is not who he says he is. But posing as an interpreter enables him to gather intel about the terrorists threatening Timbuktu. No one needs to know he’s a double agent—especially not Ellie.

Unfortunately, the number one enemy in the world has figured it out, and suddenly Ellie’s photojournalist adventure includes dodging bullets, traveling down a crocodile-infested river, and literally running for her life.

What has Beau gotten her into? And if they survive, can she say goodbye to her hunky hero? Or is his life as a double agent too much excitement for a feisty Texas girl?

When Beau’s worst fears come true, what will he do to save the feisty reporter he can’t seem to shake?

Purchase Escape from Timbuktu