A Prayer Unanswered Blog Tour // An Interview with Kellyn Roth

I’m so excited to share Kellyn Roth’s newest book with you all. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series (The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy), but I know that they are all going on my TBR because A Prayer Unanswered just sounds lovely and heartfelt.

When I signed up for this blog tour, I thought it would be fun to interview Kellyn Roth. I knew absolutely nothing about the book or that it was a series, but her answers immediately drew me into this world that she’s created. I hope you enjoy our little conversation as much as I did.

This blog tour is hosted by Jen’s Author Assistant.

The Interview

Me: Hi Kellyn, my first question is probably the simplest. What was your favorite part about writing this book?

Kellyn: I’d say just finally having it finished. I’ve worked on versions of this story for a long time – mostly, I’ve worked on the dramatic parts for a long time, as I had inspiration for them, as they can often be the hardest to get right. Which is nice because they’re my favorite parts to work on! I love writing my way through some tough emotions, feeling them out in a thousand different versions until I get it just right.

Me: I haven’t published anything before, but I can totally relate to the struggle of having to narrow the story down to just one version (since most stories could exist in, as you mentioned, a thousand different ways). It looks like this one deals with some really heavy topics. What was the hardest part about incorporating these elements?

Kellyn: One of the hardest parts was not having a lot of experience with the elements I was portraying. Though I experienced a lot of the things I wrote about in this book – or at least to some degree – while I was doing revisions, during the original edits I was unmarried and inexperienced in the realms of a lot of these themes and events. This meant that I had to do a lot of research on a lot of uncomfortable things, which included conversations on things like child loss and dealing with conflict in a marriage – which is not something everyone wants to talk about! Thankfully, over the years, a lot of people poured themselves into this story with me!

Me: I love your answer because writers are oftentimes told to write what they know, which oftentimes is just bad advice (in my opinion). Which character was the most fun to write?

Kellyn: I know a lot of people will dislike him, but I love Riley! He’s just a boy, but at times, he steps up and acts like a man, and getting that balance right was a blast for me.

Me: Having no idea who Riley is, I absolutely already adore this man. Nothing makes me happier than a boy stepping up and becoming a man. *swoons* What inspired this book?

Kellyn: A thousand things! Every book is a variety of experiences, impressions, and events that come together to form one whole. I rarely have any one thing that inspires a story. Some of it was my dramatic teenage self coming to play. In other ways, I used this book to process experiences by friends and family and even myself. Different snippets of movies and books and even songs have snuck their way in, from Penny Serenade (an old Cary Grant movie) to The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (one of my favorite novels).

Me: This is so true. No book is inspired by only one thing—it’s always a patchwork of our experiences, the stories we consume, and everything in between. What’s the one thing you want readers to take away from this book?

Kellyn: I don’t think there’s any one thing, and I don’t really consider myself to be capable of determining what readers take away from me. Readers are wild beasties, and they learn what they will from what we put out, as per God’s plans, with or without our consent. That said, I do hope I inspire people to think about what others are going through or perhaps to understand that they are not alone in their own grief, losses, etc.

Me: Wow, I love that so much. I think that sometimes we, as writers, can get so caught up in what we want our readers to take away from our stories that we forget to let them take what they want or need. Thank you so much for talking with me.

Kellyn: Thank you for interviewing me!

Me: It was my pleasure, Kellyn!

About the Book

As Alice Strauss enters her first year of marriage—full of optimism and determination—she finds herself wholly unprepared for reality. In a new country, with a new family, she struggles to find her footing. Difficult relationships and situations batter her, but she is determined to establish a perfect life with the man she loves.

Unfortunately, perfection seems just beyond her reach. An unexpected tragedy flings Alice out of control, and she struggles to rise from the ruins. Her world is full of spinning variables and agony beyond anything she has ever experienced.

However, there is hope—in a God who loves her and a future established for her since before time began. Yet the devastation of Alice’s life seems beyond even the touch of grace.

Enter the Giveaway

Click here to enter the giveaway, where you could win a paperback copy of A Prayer Unanswered, a bracelet, and a locket.

Content Warnings

Child loss (miscarriage, stillbirth), childbirth and menstrual cycles, suicidal thoughts and depression.

About the Author

Let’s Talk!

Are you a fan of Kellyn Roth? Have you read the other four books in The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy? Or are they on your TBR, too? Which quote is your favorite? I chose both because I couldn’t decide which one resonated with me more right now. Let’s talk all things A Prayer Unanswered in the comments below (and make sure you give Kellyn a shoutout because she deserves it!).