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Where did
you grow up, and was reading and writing part of your life?
I grew up in a small town in Georgia. I wrote
my very first story when I was in the 3rd grade and it was Mrs.
Appling, my teacher who nurtured this seed of writing in me.
I loved to read and would read everything from romances to encyclopedias.
Because I was painfully shy, writing became an outlet for me.
What influenced you to write Christian/Inspirational
fiction?
My personal relationship with
God. I knew when I wrote my first book, Hidden Blessings, that
I was called to write books for God. I refused because I wanted
to be popular; I wanted to sell books; I felt I wasn’t worthy;
that I didn’t know the Bible well enough—the list could go on.
God wasn’t hearing any of it. He convicted my heart with each
romance until I could no longer ignore His call. To be clear,
it wasn’t that I felt writing romance novels are wrong. It was
just that God called me to do something else. You can only ignore
the calling on your heart for so long.
What happened to writing Romance?
Are you going to write any more?
At the time I chose to follow
my calling, I felt I needed to separate myself from the romance
genre as my books were more about God and less about the actual
romance. I wanted to be true to my romance readers and so I
couldn't cheat them by giving them something else. I love romance
and there are still quite a few of them in me--however, any
future romance novels will have a strong element of spirituality
in them. This is the path that I've chosen and I am committed
to my calling. I will tell you this: although inspirational,
that wonderful feeling of falling in love and finding Mr. Right
will be present.
I'm missing some books
in the Ransom Family series. Could you give me a list of all
the titles in order they were published?
Hidden Blessings
Forever Always
Cupid's Arrow
Family Ties
Love's Miracle
Undeniably Yours
With A Song In My Heart
Stolen Hearts
Treasures of the Heart
What Christian/moral issues do
you address in your books?
Forgiveness is a theme that runs through
a lot of my books. I deal with everything from adultery, sexual
addiction, anger and bitterness to blaming God for everything
that goes wrong in life.
Do you
consider novels in this genre an evangelism tool? If so, you
consider yourself an evangelist?
I’m just me. A girl who loves
the Lord with all of her heart and one who tries so hard to
live right. This is my ministry and I realize it. God placed
this charge to me—I can’t say I just woke up one morning and
decided to write Christian Fiction. I just wanted to be a writer.
However, I consider it a huge responsibility and I know God
will hold me accountable for every word I put on paper.
How much, if any,
of your writing comes from “your own” real life experiences?
I believe as writers we all bring our own
experiences into our books. I have a lot of the same questions
my character have. Like them, I’m working to build a closer
relationship with God. I struggle with my faith from time to
time. But God is so good—there have been times He’s used my
own books to minister to me.
What general advice do
you have for writers who just completed their first novel? What
should they do next?
I encourage all writers to research
and join a local writers group. Try out a couple to make sure
it’s a good fit for you. Most legitimate groups are a good source
for networking and sharing industry news and information. Pick
up a copy of the Writers Market and research the publishing
houses. Read, read, read. Find out what the houses you’re interested
in, is publishing.
Were any of your experiences a
difficult process for you? Any discouraging moments? If so,
how did you overcome them?
I guess my most challenging moment was
temporarily taking my eyes off God and putting my trust in someone
who I thought had my best interests at heart. It was a hard
lesson to learn, but God is so merciful. My career is in God’s
hands and once I gave it to Him—I don’t let things bother me
anymore, so I’m enjoying myself. I do what I’m supposed to do—write.
I give the best that I have and I trust God to meet my needs
both personally and professionally.
If you could give
advice to an aspiring writer, what would that advice be?
Writers write. And when they’re not writing,
they read books on the craft of writing or they take classes
to perfect their craft. Always be willing to learn. There is
always something new to learn.
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