Meet author Deborah Sprinkle

Deborah Sprinkle is on my blog today! I’ve known her for a couple of years – we live fairly close to each other and have met for lunch, and we are both Scrivenings Press authors.

Last year, Deb, another writer friend, Sharon Carpenter, and I began working on the Trinity Sands Beach Club novella collection, which is set to release on June 17, 2025. All three stories are romantic suspense. Let’s find out some more about Deborah Sprinkle!

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Jen – Hi Deb! I’m so glad to have you on my blog. Tell us a little about yourself.

Deb –I grew up in a suburb of St. Louis, MO, and lived in the St. Louis area until after I was married. Our first child was five years old, and I was pregnant with our second when we decided to take the job in northern Indiana. Our poor parents were devastated that we were taking their only grandchildren away from them! But we made sure both kids understood the importance of family.

At one point, I was so homesick for St. Louis, and a job came up there. Les applied for it even though it wasn’t a good fit for him, but I was certain God was taking us home. He didn’t get it, and it was my turn to be devastated. Until one day, Les found out that if he had gotten the job, we would have moved back to St. Louis, only to be relocated to Chicago a year later with that division! I saw then that instead of denying me, God was protecting me from greater heartache.

Deborah Sprinkle – writing habits

Jen – I’m always curious about other authors’ writing habits. Do you have a certain time of day to write? Do you follow an outline? Where do you get your ideas? What do you like most about writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Deb – I’m a pantser who has some idea of where my story is going before I begin to write. No outlines and no certain time of day, I write when I feel the urge. Often, I’m more of a binge writer, starting in the morning and working well into the afternoon. I’m not sure where most of my ideas come from, to be honest. They just pop up in my brain. But I love to write. I love weaving stories that where several threads intertwine and the reader finds surprises in unexpected places.

Deborah Sprinkle’s bio:

Deborah Sprinkle is a retired chemistry teacher turned award-winning author with a modest number of books to her name and more on the way. All romantic suspense and mysteries.

She lives in Memphis with her wonderful husband of more than 50 years. 

Connect with Deborah on her website or on Facebook.

Research for stories

Jen – Do you have to do research for your stories? What did you find most interesting?

Deb – Yes. For Trinity Sands Beach Club, I needed to find out about beach communities—what the houses are like, vegetation, animals, etc. We have a place called The Wilds on our make-believe island that is supposed to resemble a nature preserve. I enjoyed researching what it would be like the most.

Jen – Why do you write? Whom do you wish to reach?

Deb – I feel called to write. I hope to write books that offer clean entertainment with imperfect characters that live out their need for God, their trust in Him, and their thankfulness as examples to others.

Jen – I love that! What are some of your favorite books that you like to read?

Deb – I love reading, and I gravitate to mysteries and suspense. My first favorite author was Agatha Christie (she still is). But, since I’ve joined a book club, I read all sorts of genres. Fiction and nonfiction. Some of my favorite authors are Fredrik Backman, Erik Larson, and Jodi Picoult.

Fun facts with Deborah Sprinkle

Jen – Share some fun facts your readers would love to know! (Tea or coffee? Favorite season? Favorite Bible verse? What do you do in your free time? Cat or dog person?)

Deb – I do not drink coffee—although I enjoy the aroma. I prefer iced tea.

My favorite season is fall, and my life verse is “The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him.” Ps. 28:7

In my free time, I enjoy playing solitaire, Sudoku, or doing jigsaw puzzles on my computer.

I love both cats and dogs, but I’m allergic to their dander. ☹

Advice for new authors

Jen – What would you say to a new author?

Deb – My advice is to go to conferences so you can learn your craft and make connections, read all you can about how to write well, and join a critique group or a local writers’ group.

Jen – I agree! Making those connections is what brought us together! What are you working on next?

Deb – I’m working on another Mac and Sam mystery, The Case of the Other Brother, to be released in 2026, and another novella for a second book with Jen Dodrill and Sharon H. Carpenter. 😊

Jen – I’m so glad Deborah Sprinkle was on my blog today! If you want to learn more about her books, visit her on Amazon, Scrivenings Press, or her website, Author Deborah Sprinkle.

Read my post about Trinity Sands Beach Club, and then follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to my newsletter to keep up with news about my book and any special offers! Be sure you grab your FREE 10-step checklist to plan your novel when you subscribe!

Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for 39 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024 and the 2nd in the series, Where’s the Quetzal? released Feb. 25, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)