I first had the pleasure of meeting author Christine Gunderson when she was the keynote speaker at the 15th annual Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference in NJ (Liberty States Fiction Writers | A Multi-Genre Fiction Writers Organization. Christine’s debut novel, Friends with Secrets, had been published several months earlier. In her keynote remarks, Christine included as an avid reader of Laura Ingalls Wilder; she was inspired to become an author too. She shared that despite the hundreds of rejections of books she’d written prior to Friends With Secrets; she continued writing. She noted that, “In the boat of life, God chooses our destination and the timing. All we get to do is row.” The crowd of over one hundred writers was on its feet and clapping.
Formerly a journalist and a prolific writer, when you meet Christine, she greets you with an effervescent smile and genuine warmth. She is quick to express her appreciation for her opportunity to write and the support of both the writing community and her readers. In every sense of the word, Christing is the real deal.
Christine is a mom of three who has done it all, but will be the first to admit that while she is far from perfect, she has tried to do her very best. A member of the Women’s Fiction Writer’s Association, Christine was last year’s recipient of the 2025 STAR Award, a prominent literary prize presented by the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA). It is the only award in the publishing industry that exclusively recognizes excellence in full-length women’s fiction.
Christine graciously took a few moments out of her busy day to chat with me there before the release of her second book, Behind White Picket Fences which came out on June 9th.
As a writer, I asked about Christine about her writing process. She explained that when working on the first draft of a book; she commits to writing 1000 words a day and logs the number by hand in a notebook to hold her accountable. Basically, she refers to this as her skeleton, and then she works on the second draft, which is where she adds “meat to the bones.” This is her favorite part of the process.
Christine shared how important her relationship with her readers is to her. Through her newsletter, she updates readers about her latest book and shares things going on in her life. She prides herself on personally replying to individual comments/emails and feels this is her way of having a personal conversation with readers. Christine also meets in person with local book clubs and book clubs via Zoom.
When I asked Christine about her writing goals, she said she hopes that through humor and suspense her books will provide her readers with a distraction from the world. After they turn the final page, she hopes readers will smile and take away a message that will resonate long after they put the book down. As a reader, I can vouch that you most certainly will!
So, on the way to the beach, or if you’re heading out to the airport, pick up Christine’s latest book, Behind White Picket Fences. If you haven’t read Friends With Secrets, pick that one up too!
Behind White Picket Fences: A Novel: Gunderson, Christine: 9781662533082: Amazon.com: Books
Follow Christine Gunderson at: Home – Christine Gunderson Official
Shellie Pickett
When the rhythm of the road meets the rhythm of the page
Shellie Pickett Author 
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