FAQs
How did you get started writing fiction?
My life was forever changed three times … and each change had to do with books. First, when I was in 6th grade my family moved near a library. To say I fell in love with reading would be an understatement.
Second, when I was a young mom a friend at church told me she was writing a novel. It gave me the courage to want to try that too. She was my accountability and prayer partner for many years. We attended our first Mt. Hermon Christian Writer's Conference together.
Third, I was vacationing in Europe when I met a historian and heard the amazing true story of what would later be my novel From Dust and Ashes. Today I've written numerous historical and contemporary novels. You can find out more about them on my Historical Fiction and Contemporary Fiction pages.
When did you first start writing nonfiction? Was it before or after you started writing novels?
During my first Mt. Hermon writing conference I submitted a few magazine articles for consideration. Amazingly one was accepted for publication! My early years as I writer I focused on writing for magazines. It gave me amazing writing experience and I connected with awesome people in the publishing industry. I wrote 2-4 articles a month, and the best part was I could interview amazing people and get their opinions on questions and struggles in my daily life.
In 2000, I helped start Hope Pregnancy Center and I started a weekly support group through Teen MOPS. As I worked with the teenage mothers I realized there were no books for them, and I became determined to write one! I met with the team who was considering publishing my book and I took photos of the teens I mentored. As I showed the photos, I told stories about their lives. By the end of that meeting they'd decided to publish the book that became, Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Teen Mom.
A couple of years later I got the idea for Generation NeXt Marriage and Generation NeXt Parenting by talking with others born between 1961 and 1981. We realized what we thought/believed/lived in our marriages and families was different from our parents and grandparents. These books explained why and gave advice from one young parent for another.
These books started my trend of writing non-fiction books on matters that deeply impact my everyday life. You can read more about those books on my Non-fiction page.
Was speaking something you planned to do when you started writing?
When I first started writing, speaking was the last thing on my mind. I liked sharing my words … on paper. Of course, people often think if you can write you can speak. My first few events I was a nervous wreck! I'd write detailed notes and stress over missing a word. I tried to look comfortable and natural, but I was neither.
Then I started realizing that people weren't interested in my notes … they wanted to hear from my heart. When I speak now I share God's truths that have deeply impacted me. I share stories of how God worked in my life in amazing ways. I love receiving hugs from attendees as they tell me how my words impacted them. That's the fun part. When I write I don't get to hear the laughter of an audience or share their tears. I also think experiencing both those things helps me do a better job when I write.
Where do you get your ideas for your blog?
I used to drive my agent crazy. A few times a week I'd email Janet, “Guess what, I got a GREAT idea for a book. Or, “what do you think of this thought?” Janet is gracious and kind. She listened and agree (at least some of the time) that my ideas were good.
Some of those “thoughts” made it into books, and when blogging became popular I realized what I could do with all my other ideas. I could write them up in a short format, send them out, and then get feedback … sometimes within minutes of posting. I could encourage and inspire people without bugging my agent so much. (Yes, I still bug her but now not so often.) If you want to see all the ideas that my agent used to be bombarded with, you can go here.
What got you into radio?
I never considered hosting my own radio show until someone asked if I wanted to. Right away I liked the idea. I have amazing friends with amazing God-breathed stories, and I knew I wanted my show to be about that—about highlighting the way God works in peoples' lives. I'm thrilled I get to share those stories every Thursday 3-4 CT. Free podcasts are also available on my show site or iTunes. Check out my Radio page for podcast archives.
What are the most important things in your life?
God and my family are the the top two things in my life. I dedicated my life to God when I was a 17-year-old pregnant teen. After having my son God brought me an amazing husband and three more kids. Our oldest son Cory is married to Katie and they are expecting their first baby. (Yes, I'll be a grandma!) Our daughter Leslie is a Junior a University of Little Rock in Arkansas. Our son Nathan is homeschooling and will graduate 2012. Our baby girl Alyssa is 1-year-old! You can see photos on my Gallery page.
Our family believes in love God with all our hearts and love others. We enjoy serving in children's church, by mentoring teen moms, and on going on mission trips to the Czech Republic!