The Tenacity Interviews - Deborah Vogts

This is the last of the Tenacity Interviews on Fiction Matters. Thanks to all the authors who have shared their strengths, their challenges, and ultimately, their success with us. I'd like to welcome our last Tenacity blogger, Deborah Vogts.

Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. In writing the Seasons of the Tallgrass, a contemporary romance series for Zondervan, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there. The first book in the series, Snow Melts in Spring, is set to release June 2009.

1. How long were you writing before landing a contract with a publisher?

First, thank you Bonnie for having me as a guest on your blog. I began writing my first book as a sophomore in high school, so if we go back that far . . . you don’t want to know how many years it took. However, in 2002, I began taking my writing seriously and joined the online writing group ACFW. From there I had my first agent in 2006 and contracted with Zondervan in 2008, with a lot of up and down moments in between.

2. You were able to find an agent. How difficult was that search? Did things go smoothly once you found an agent?

I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped my “Seasons of the Tallgrass” series for a year and had a few bites but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker for me. However, we don’t always see the big picture like God does, and six months later I signed with agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we signed with Zondervan three months after that.

3.What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?

Finding an agent, finding a publisher, and trusting God to take care of everything!

4. Why didn’t you just throw your hands in the air and say “forget it!”

Oh, but I did. Several times. LOL. The year my series was being shopped around was especially difficult. We would get a bite and then nothing . . . and then a little interest and then nothing. I believed God had placed me on this journey, and things were going so well. Then, all of a sudden, everything stopped! That can really mess with a person’s mind. So, for me, that period between shopping my manuscript and finally getting the sale with Zondervan was a time of learning for me. I had to learn to trust God and put everything in His hands. Not easy.

5. Did you have a motto/saying/scripture/mantra that helped you through the tough times?
Yes, I had a couple, actually. And I bathed myself in prayer, read Bible scriptures that reassured me of God’s promises (no matter whether I became published or not), and I sang many hymns. The verse I leaned on most was “Be still and know that I am God,” as well as Philippians 4:13, Proverbs 3:5-6, and Isaiah 41:13.

6. What does your support system look like? Friends, family, pastor, etc.
My family has been very supportive of my writing from the very beginning with my parents in high school, and then my husband. In fact, when we married, I told my husband that I wanted to stay home with the children so that I could pursue a writing career. It took me a while, but it finally happened. My girls are all very encouraging, even though they have to endure “Mom’s crazy writing habits.”

7. What encouragement do you have for a writer who just received a “no”?
Cry and scream if you need to but don’t give up. Keep dreaming and studying the craft, and reading. Stay tuned to what God wants for you and let scripture keep you afloat. Learn to depend on God for everything—every step of the journey. Just knowing that He is in charge and knows what is best for you, helps to alleviate the pressure so that you’re able to ENJOY the journey AND life.

Thanks for having me, Bonnie!

****

Thanks for being here, Deborah! You were a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful series of interviews here on Fiction Matters. Thanks for ending us off with great advice and hope for the future!

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Marcia Laycock

Marcia’s writing began in the attic of her parents’ home where she wrote stories for her dolls. They didn’t complain so she kept it up. God has blessed her with publication in magazines, newspapers, on radio and the web. Her work has garnered praise from notable writers Mark Buchanan, Sigmund Brouwer and Phil Callaway. Her first devotional book, The Spur of the Moment won an Award of Merit at Write Canada and her novel, One Smooth Stone, won the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award in 2006. Marcia writes a weekly devotional column that goes out to over 4,000 people. Her devotionals have been published by The Upper Room and The Quiet Hour, among others, as well as in anthologies compiled by Multnomah and Thomas Nelson. Marcia is currently the Sunday devotional columnist for Novel Journey.com and was a contributor to Hot Apple Cider. Visit her at http://www.vinemarc.com/

1) When did you know for certain being a writer was a goal you weren’t going to give up on?
In thinking on this, I’m not sure it was so much a goal, as something I always was – I began writing when I was very young. But there was a gradual dawning about the responsibility I felt as a writer, as people began responding to my devotional column (The Spur), originally published in our local newspaper. I was blown away when people told me how my words had affected them and began to realize that God had given me a ministry and a task to perform. I was to type the stories; His Spirit did the work in the hearts of the readers. That reality often takes my breath away. (to use a cliché), J and makes me realize I can’t stop until God tells me to.
2) How many manuscripts/articles have you written that haven’t yet seen the light of publication?
Oh boy, I don’t think I could count them. I have 5 book manuscripts in my computer, some that have been sent out a bit, some not. Some are finished, some still need work - a couple that I intend to work on this year. I think the timing may be right for them now. I also have a number of stories/articles – those that weren’t targeted for a publication, but sort of ‘came to me’ – that haven’t been published yet. With those, I’ve found that opportunities come along eventually and then they seem to slip into place like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. I just had one of that type published in a literary magazine.

3) What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?
In my last year of high school (an eon ago!) my English teacher said, “If you don’t have something significant to say, don’t write.” My self esteem was so low at the time that I immediately stopped writing! I was sure no-one would ever want to read my words. I had a sense that I needed to just go out and “live” and find something “significant” to say. That took about 15 years! Then I became a Christian and the light went on.
Since trying to be published, which began 20 years ago, I’d say the top three obstacles are:
1. My own procrastination
2. My own proclivity to get involved in all kinds of “good” things at the expense of my writing time.
3. My own fear of rejection

4) Which personal strengths did you use to remain tenacious in your quest to be published?
I have a large streak of Irish stubbornness in me. I’m a bit like a bull terrier that gets the taste of something good in her mouth and won’t let it go.J That something good is the belief that being published is a means to God’s ends. And I was also trained, by some very tenacious teachers, to finish what I started. That works against #1 above.

5) Can you be tenacious and content at the same time?
Only by staying in step with what God wants. When my tenaciousness steps beyond that, then I get frustrated and even angry that things aren’t going the way I want them to go. When I remember that it’s all under His control and He knows what’s best for me and how to accomplish His plan in the best way, then I relax and am content, even joyful, while tenaciously pursuing my goals.

6) Has your dream changed at all? Grown bigger? Smaller?
Oh yes, the dream keeps shifting and growing bigger, in a way. The first dream was to publish something, anything. (That was accomplished with a poem that garnered a cheque for $1.25 – U.S funds!) Then it was to see my words have affect. That’s still a big part of my dream now – more than being on a best sellers’ list, it’s to know that God has used my words to change a life. That makes it all worthwhile.

7) What advice do you have for a writer who is facing “no” right now?
Be obedient and patient and trust that God is working for your good and the good of others. I went through a difficult time a number of years ago, and escaped into writing a fantasy novel. I became obsessed with it. Then I attended a retreat and someone stood up one morning and said the Lord had told him to say these words – “What you have done is good, but your obsession with it is not.” I knew exactly who He was talking to. It was agonizing for me, but I quit writing fiction for about 5 years, until I felt that the Lord had released me to go back to it. My husband said a wise thing to me at that point – “Maybe God wants you to write from a place of strength, relying on Him, instead of weakness.” I realized I’d been going to my writing to provide what only God could provide for me – identity, affirmation and peace. Getting those things from anywhere other than God is idolatry. I believe we must continually guard our hearts against that and obey His “No” when we hear it.
***

Love those top three obsticles. I think many of us can see ourselves in one or more of them. Thanks, Marci for the warm wake up call to keep the first thing the first thing!

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Karen Whiting

1) What do you write?
Christian nonfiction for women, families, and children

2) How do you define “success” for yourself?
In my early days, I felt successful if I could complete a short piece and submit one every month. I worked hard to polish it and find a good match. It worked as I sold something every month for 100 months and then became a columnist.
As time went by I changed my goals. I cannot control the acceptances, only my work. So I set goals on how much to write, marketing goals, and submission goals. I feel successful if I reach the goals and keep all deadlines.
It helps to have several books published and two more to be released I 2010. It was sad to have those two books delayed in being released by another year, but that gives me time to build the marketing for them. At the moment I have no contracted books that are not written and I’m prying about my direction now. It is giving me time to work on speaking, marketing, and sending off articles that have been on the back burner for a while as well as rewrite some proposals .

3) How long did you write before your first sale?
I sold articles almost immediately. Within 3 months of attending my first writer’s conference I sold a few pieces to a children’s magazine published by Simon & Schuster. I keep submitting to that magazine (now out of print/ceased publication) and after a year or so, the editor called and asked me to write an activity book.

4) Who believed in you the most? What role did they play in your ability to keep going?
My husband who kept introducing me as an author. And my oldest daughter who has always believed I could do anything.

5) When did you have to push hardest for your dream? How did you reach for the stars?
Anytime I saw a possibility. For example, when I met an editor at a writer’s conference who mentioned she wanted to start a line to compete with American Girl books with a Christian basis. I tossed out some ideas and she asked for a proposal. I went home and worked hard to come up with the proposal and sample pages. A few months later I had a two book contract.

6) Can you be tenacious and content at the same time?
Yes. I always work hard, but also trust the responses are in God’s hnds. Sometimes I think parts of my writing are for my personal development and other writings are to be published for people who need it.

7) What advice do you have for a writer who is facing “no” right now?
1. When you submit something, also send a note to a friend who will respond with enthusiasm. That helps you focus on relationships and some of the people in your life ho believe in you.
2. Keep rewriting and try to discover how you can make a beter publishing match. In some cases, you may get a personal note or a lit that checks off the reason for the rejection. Let those be new guidelines. I had one magazine write that they loved my style and writing but had that topic covered and asked what else I could send. I submitted other pieces that I sold.
Another place had checked off several reasons for rejecting a puppet script (one of my first submissions). I decided that I would try and write something that they could not check off anything o the list and used the list as a guide. I spent two months writing a new scritp and sold it in two weeks.

3. Attend writer conferences and listen to the needs of editors. Find out what people want to read. And then figure out what you can write to fill those needs.
4. Do something fun. Since I also write inspirational craft books, I make something to overcome rejection. I love to work with my hands and get creative. Or sometimes I write something new and creative. The creativity is what I love about writing and doing it helps me focus on the fu side and not the rejections.

***

That is seriously great advice, Karen! Thanks so much!

I bid you all, good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Sarah Sundin

My first novel, A Distant Melody, historical fiction set in World War II, will be published by Revell in January 2010, the first in the Wings of Glory Series. I live in Northern California with my husband and three children. When I'm not running kids to soccer and karate, I work on-call as a hospital pharmacist, teach Sunday school to fourth- and fifth-graders, and teach women's Bible studies.

Sarah Sundin
www.sarahsundin.com
http://sarahsundin.blogspot.com
Find me on Facebook.

1) How long have you been on the road to being published?
I started writing in 2000, started submitting in 2003, and received an offer for a three-book contract in 2008.

2) What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?
The main obstacle I encountered was the market. For years I received “good” rejection letters saying the editor or agent liked my story, characters, and writing, but that historicals weren’t selling. They wanted chick lit. The market flipped in 2008.
The next obstacle I faced was internal: what did each rejection letter mean? Did God want me to finish the series or write something else? Did He even want me to write at all? Was I wasting my time?

3) Which personal strengths did you use to remain tenacious in your quest to be published?
Persistence—all right, stubbornness—runs in my family. However, I don’t want to be like the robin that comes to our house each spring and flies into the window over and over until its little birdbrain must resemble Jell-O. Persistence is a strength—working toward a goal in the Lord’s will. Stubbornness is a weakness—working for a goal that isn’t in God’s will.
The key for me was to determine God’s will through prayer, time in the Word, and the advice of other believers.

4) What helped you to stay tenacious even when faced with rejection?
I couldn’t have continued without the prayer and encouragement of family and friends. However, family and friends are biased. To make sure I wasn’t deluding myself, I sought feedback from a critique group and writers’ conferences. Most importantly, I asked God to show me His will, and He showed me in numerous odd ways that He wanted me to write.
In 2005 I worried that I was wasting time and inconveniencing my family for nothing. At Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference I went for a walk under the redwoods. A little flower caught my eye, and I praised God for His creativity. Had anyone else ever praised God for that particular flower? Then I straightened up. Beds of those flowers stretched as far as I could see. How many of those blooms ever caused anyone to praise God? Did the Lord waste His time creating them? Of course not. Sometimes He creates for the joy of it—and He made us in His creative image. God called me to write, so I had to obey, whether or not I was ever published.

5) There is a difference between tenacity and being “bull-headed”. How have you been able to move your dream forward without turning agents/editors off?
If I don’t treat people with respect and good manners, my mother will give me the evil eye. She lives 400 miles away, but believe me, I’ll feel it. When an editor or agent said no, I said, “Thank you,” and moved on to another.

6) Where will your tenacity take you next?
If I’m not careful, my tenacity will take me someplace incredibly stupid. So I’ll stay hitched to the Lord’s guidance. Where He’ll take me—only He knows.

7) What advice do you have for a writer who is facing “no” right now?
First of all, verify that the Lord wants you to write. Then realize the call to write is not necessarily the call to be published. God is more concerned with our obedience than our success.
Then persevere! Keep writing. Keep learning the craft from books and blogs on writing, critique groups, and writers’ conferences. Keep meeting editors and agents, and submit as you feel led.
***

I love the answer to question 6! I read it a few times - it's just so true.

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Lorraine Williams

Lorraine Williams is here today to share her tenacity story in writing her memoir.

1) How did you know you were going to be a writer?
I think I first consciously realised I wanted to be a writer when I was in university. I joined the writers group at St. Michael's College where I was taking a four-year honour course in philosophy and English. I was also doing some writing for our college paper called The Mike. In my graduating year I had a casual encounter with Marshall McLuhan, one of my professors. It forms an intro to one of the chapters in my memoirs. He said to me, "Oh, somehow I thought you might be taking off for the Left Bank of the Seine to write stories”. His eyebrow arched a bit as he looked me over. He was serious!



2) How long did it take you to write your memoir book? Tell us how writing a memoir takes tenacity.
I didn’t start out to write a memoir. I just started out writing a piece of literary non-fiction for a summer writing class I was taking at Queen’s University in the 1980’s. The writing of the actual memoir came much later. In the early ‘90’s I purchased a town house in The Beach district of Toronto for a daughter who was returning from Sydney Australia after spending seven years there as principal of a Montessori school. I asked her if I could use the third floor level to put a computer so that I could come down during weekdays when she was at work. It would become my little “studio” where I would write a historical novel I had in mind. As I sat down to write and looked out the window facing south and saw the lake, I realized that this townhouse was about 200 yards from the apartment building where I had lived with my parents for the first four years of my life.
Memories began to flood me, and first thing I knew I was writing about growing up at The Beach. The memories just poured out, and because of my writing experience in other genres, I was able to put them down in a readable form.
It didn’t take too much tenacity to continue with the memoirs. Somehow I knew that this project would just go up to the end of high school, because that was the period when I absorbed the real “essence” of The Beach. The only thing that would slow me up was deadlines for other articles or the fact that I often couldn’t get down to the townhouse more than once a week usually to continue with the narrative. Finally I was able to make the mental jump that I could write the memoir at home as well as at the town house. The townhouse locale had provided a “jump start” but it was no longer necessary to be there in order to write.
The tenacity was to be tested in trying to get the memoir published.

3) What has being tenacious taught you about yourself?
It’s taught me that I must have a lot of my father’s patience and determination as he supported his family in depression and war times. He was a super-salesman, who eventually founded his own business and hired other salesmen across Canada to do what he had done single-handedly for years. He proved you have to stick with your dreams and I learned I have that quality in me. I also learned one has to be careful to not go overboard with tenacity or else it can come out looking like conceit, or “bugging people” . You also have to develop a sense of knowing when to speak up or lobby for yourself. Maybe this is something I learned for all my years as a political life with a husband who was an elected municipal councilor, deputy mayor and MPP in the Ontario legislature and Cabinet.



4) What does your support system look like? Friends, family, pastor, etc.
My support system is so wonderful! My family, friends and even acquaintances are behind me 100% and sometimes it is for them, as much as for me, that I have been so tenacious.



5) What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?
I will speak about that with regard to the memoirs, because I really haven’t had any trouble getting published in other projects.
First obstacle: most publishers want memoirs to be written by well-known authors or personalities, or authors who depict historical or interesting places and events. So my memoir was about a very ordinary person (me) who was brought up in an interesting but not sensational era in a unique setting (THE BEACH district) but a setting that wasn’t going to attract worldwide attention to a large reading public.
Second obstacle: I had to be fair to those real people depicted in my memoir and not do them any injury. Everyone I write about is recognizable by himself or herself and so I had to decide what chapters to edit out so some wouldn’t be offended. In addition to those obvious omissions, I had to be severe with myself as to what parts, that were not injurious, should be left out for the sake of the general quality of a book of a decent length.
Third Obstacle: the mechanics of making copies of the manuscript to send out to various publishers at various times, the frustration of waiting for responses, the necessity to fight periods of discouragement and the temptation to just go ahead and self-publish a limited quantity of copies for my circle of family and friends who might be interested.
A fourth obstacle: my publisher originally wanted me to change it into a History of the Beach district with some memoir added. I finally convinced him this would be unwieldy, that my voice would be lost in the confusion, and that it would better be a memoir (as originally written) with small bits of history incorporated where appropriate. Getting to that settlement with the publisher was a long process and very stressful, but finally in the interests of the quality of the work, it was settled to my satisfaction.



6) Has your dream changed at all? Grown bigger? Smaller?
I don’t think my dream has changed, because the dream for that book is now fulfilled. However, with the conclusion of that dream, many have come into my mind to take its place? Perhaps Book 2 or Book 3 of memoirs? Perhaps get back on track with my historical novel? Perhaps make more short stories out of some other periods of my life (in fact I’ve started that already)? Lots of dreams, if only I have time to work on all of them.



7) What advice do you have for a writer who attempting to write a memoir?
Be patient. Don’t get sentimental. Decide what “voice” you’re going to write it in – i.e. are you the adult looking back on what was happening and interpreting it now; are you the child recalling the experience according to what it was like and not reflecting on it; be sure to use fictional writing techniques – scenes, dialogue etc – to make your writing come alive; read lots of books of memoirs to see how different authors go about it.


***


Great advice, Lorraine! I think memoirs are so difficult to write (and get "right") but so rewarding for so many when they are done well. Much success to you in the future, Lorraine! Thanks for sharing your tenacity story with us today.





I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Jennifer Allee

Say "hi" to Jennifer Allee, author of the upcoming book The Pastor's Wife. As we wrap up the Tenacity Interviews at the end of April, I'm amazed at all I've learned from the authors who have shared their amazing stories with us. Not only have I learned to hang on and be tenacious about my writing, but I've learned so much about the industry as a whole. One thing I've gleened is that there is no "one way" to go about becoming a published author. Everyone has a unique story, a unique way they were able to find their way through those doors.
It isn't an easy business to break into, and it's even more difficult to stay in once you break down those publishing barriers. I hope you enjoy this interview, and the next couple of weeks too.

How long did you wait from when you first started to when you were published? I dabbled for quite a while, but from the time I got serious about writing a novel till the time is sold was about four years: One year completing the manuscript, two years looking for an agent, another year for her to sell the book.

It sounds like you have a story about your second book as well. Give me a short sketch of what happened - My agent and I parted ways because she wasn't very excited about selling Christian fiction. I believe God put us together for a season, but the season was definitely over, so it was an amicable, mutual split. A few months ago, I read on Camy Tang's blog that there was a post on Brandilyn Collins' blog about Abingdon Press and their new fiction line. So I bopped over to Brandilyn's blog and read her interview with Barbara Scott. Normally, the only way I could have submitted to Abingdon would have been through an agent (didn't have one) or by being requested after a conference pitch. BUT, Barbara said she'd take submissions from anyone who let her know she'd read about it on the blog. Since "The Pastor's Wife" was completed and ready, I jumped on it. But technology conspired against me... the firewall at Abingdon does NOT like Hotmail addresses and I couldn't get my proposal through. Finally, by communicating through the blog, I was able to get through to Barbara. There were several more incidents like that, times when I could have just given up. For example: After sending my sample chapters, I waited three weeks and thought "Well, she must not have liked it." Then I checked the blog again. Turns out, Barbara had posted a comment that if anyone couldn't get through via email, they should just snail mail the info and gave the address. I thought it would be good to give that a try. Thank God I did, because Barbara emailed me (I can get them from her) and let me know that she never got the sample chapters and she was so glad I'd sent them through the mail.

Also, how many rejections did you face? Hmmm... from agents or editors? I probably queried about ten agents (some of which I've met now at ACFW conferences). For the first book, my agent sent it all over. I think it got rejected about eight times before Five Star bought it. As for the book I just sold, I pitched it to an editor last year, and she rejected the idea because it wasn't right for her house. But the first time I actually sent it anywhere was to Abingdon, without an agent, and they bought it. So that one suffered considerably less trauma!

Right now, I'm working on two more manuscripts (not contracted by anyone, but two editors showed interest at the ACFW conference). I'm also praying about an agent and when to pursue that again. I know who I'd LIKE to approach, but again, just waiting to make sure the timing is right.
You can visit Jennifer at:
http://www.jenniferallee.com/

http://jenniferallee.blogspot.com/

http://www.shoutlife.com/jenniferallee

The Pastor's Wife - coming Spring 2010 from Abingdon Press

The Love of His Brother - Five Star, November 2007

*****

I would love to hear from you about what you've gleened from these interviews. Please take a minute to share your inspiration with the rest of us!

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Kathi Macias

Kathi Macias, winner of an Angel award from Excellence in Media and the 2008 Member of the Year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), has authored twenty-two books, including the bestselling devotional A Moment A Day from Regal Books, and her most recent release, Beyond Me, named “top pick” in the Christian Living Category by Christian Retailing. Kathi has written commentary for Thomas Nelson’s Spirit-Filled Life Bible (Student Edition) and was part of the devotional writing team for Zondervan’s New Women’s Devotional Bible. Kathi has also ghostwritten/collaborated on books for several prominent individuals, including Dr. Jack Hayford, Dr. Kevin Leman, Josh McDowell, Rosey Grier, the late Chaplain of the United States Senate, Dr. Richard Halverson, and the Minirth-Meier Clinic. She has published numerous articles, short stories, and poems in various periodicals, as well as contributions to both Guideposts and MOPS compilation books.

1) How long have you been writing?
I started writing as a child. Always an avid reader, I suppose it was a natural leap to move from reading other people’s books to writing my own. My husband still remembers the day we were walking home from junior high and I announced that I was going to be a writer someday. I’ve never aspired to do anything else, career-wise.

2) At what point in your writing journey did you begin to think of yourself as “successful”?
I was excited when I won lots of first prizes in writing contests during high school, but I really began to feel successful when I sold my first article to our denominational magazine, plus I landed a weekly column in the local paper. I certainly didn’t make enough from either to bump me into the next income tax bracket, but to think that someone liked my writing enough to pay me for it was a major encouragement to keep going.

3)Kathi, you’ve had many books published over the years, but there was this one book you wrote no one would publish. Tell us about this one book.
My Son, John is a work of fiction that in the beginning I didn’t even want to write. I was actually busy with a couple of other writing projects at the time, so when I began to feel what I call this “God-niggling” to work on something else, I did my best to ignore it. When the niggling wouldn’t go away, I finally gave up the fight and began to listen, to try to get a clear direction of what it was God wanted me to do. Imagine my shock when I came to understand that I was being directed to write a novel about a middle-aged Christian woman (much like myself at the time) who learns her 23-year-old son, John, has AIDS. It is her first revelation that her son is living a homosexual lifestyle. It is also the beginning of a learning process for her, as AIDS had just begun to be openly discussed and recognized here in the States (early 1980s). I opted to tell the book primarily from the mother’s viewpoint, but interspersed it with chapters from John’s viewpoint. The problem was that I had no clue what John’s viewpoint would be, so I had to find someone in a similar position to work with me on the book. That’s when I met Mark, a young homosexual man with AIDS. One of the first things he told me was that he hated people like me—meaning Christians—because he said we had caused all his problems. He also made me promise never to “preach” to him, a promise I honored. But to say it was a rocky start to our relationship would be an understatement! But as we worked through the book, we developed a caring for one another, what I refer to as a “meeting of the hearts,” even if we didn’t have a meeting of the minds. A couple of weeks after we completed the manuscript and when he was in his last stages of AIDS, he called me one day and said, “Kathi, do you really believe all that Jesus stuff?” When I assured him I did, he said, “Then you have five minutes to tell me why I shouldn’t kill myself right now.” It took longer than five minutes, but by the time I hung up the phone, I’d had the privilege of leading him to Christ. He died less than two weeks later. And though I continued to send out that manuscript to every publisher on the planet and got nothing but glowing responses back, I found no takers. I heard “too controversial” from many of the Christian publishers, and “too religious” from the secular publishers. Then, a couple of years ago, I talked to Joan at Sheaf House about it, and she loved the basic concept. However, we agreed that we should change much of the story, simply because of the passing of twenty years, while retaining the message of unconditional love. I made the changes, and the rest is history.

4) Why didn’t you just throw your hands in the air and say “forget it!”
I might have if I hadn’t seen the results in Mark’s life. That alone made it all worthwhile! And I’ve learned a lot about God’s timing and purpose through all this. I was called by God to write that exact story at that exact time because Mark didn’t have long to live and needed Jesus before he died. (Does God care about one life? You bet He does!) But twenty years later, God’s purpose was to preserve the message of unconditional love, regardless of the circumstances of the book’s storyline. And so, in His timing, it is finally being published.

5) Is tenacity something you learned along the way? Or does it come naturally to you?
Both. I am by nature a bulldog when I get my teeth into something. I’m a firstborn, a major type-A personality, the only girl in the family, raised by a performance-oriented German father. But what I experienced and learned in the process of writing and finally selling My Son, John reinforced what was already built into my personality.

6) What have you learned from the adventure of getting this book published?
Again, I have to come back to God’s timing and purpose. Was My Son, John a failure before Joan decided to publish it and I did the rewrite to make that happen? Ask Mark when you get to heaven. The important thing in writing is to listen to God—and then obey, regardless of the results.

7) What encouragement do you have for a writer who just received a “no” from a publisher?
There is an old saying that you’re not an official writer until you’ve had at least 100 rejections. I can assure you that I am official many times over! Each “no” can easily be turned into a “yes” somewhere else, if we’re willing to listen and apply what others more experienced in the business are telling us. At the same time, remember that evaluating writing is a subjective process. One editor may yawn and toss something aside, while the next one is hooked on page one and can’t put it down—or pass you up as a writer. Writing is an adventure, and I wouldn’t trade it for any other profession. It’s not as stable as most other careers, but writing for the Lord is the most exciting privilege imaginable!

Kathi Macias
www.kathimacias.com

******

I've come to know Kathi through some organizations we both belong to, and I have been drawn in by her warmth, humor, and obvious love for God and people. She is a delight to know and writes wonderful books.

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Rick Acker

Rick Acker writes his novels while commuting to and from his "real job" as a Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice. His most recent novel, Blood Brothers, is an intense sequel to the legal thriller Dead Man's Rule. Christy award-winning author Randy Ingermanson calls Blood Brothers "an excellent legal suspense novel, with a strong biotech backdrop. It reminded me of Michael Crichton's latest novel, Next, except that Blood Brothers is better." Rick is also the author of the well reviewed Davis Detective Mysteries, a series of adventure/mystery novels for "tweens."

Rick is a transplanted Chicagoan who spent thirty-five years in the Midwest before finally trading the certainty of winter and mosquitoes for the risk of earthquakes. He now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Anette, their four children, and two cats.

1) How long have you been writing?
Seventeen years, and I’ve been published for six.

2) Why didn’t you just throw your hands in the air and say “forget it!”
Oh, I did. More than once. But then I’d start writing again a few months later. I discovered that I loved storytelling more than I hated rejection.

3) Which personal strengths did you use to remain tenacious in your quest to be published?
Keeping things in perspective. Getting published was a major goal for me, of course, but it wasn’t the only reason I wrote. If my friends and family genuinely enjoyed one of my stories, I viewed it as a success even if it was turned down by every publisher in the English-speaking world.

4) Is tenacity something you learned along the way? Or does it come naturally to you?
My mom tells me I’ve been tenacious since birth, though she has a different word for it. ;-)

5) There is a difference between tenacity and being “bull-headed”. How have you been able to move your dream forward without turning agents/editors off?
By listening to them and taking their advice. It’s tenacious to keep coming back to an editor or agent who says no. It’s bull-headed to keep coming back to them with the same types of stories they’ve told you they don’t want.

6) Has your dream changed at all? Grown bigger? Smaller?
Well, my original dream was to publish a novel and I’ve published four now, so I suppose my dreams have gotten bigger. I still get a thrill out of holding a finished book in my hands for first time or getting an enthusiastic review, though. That never, ever gets old.

7) What encouragement do you have for a writer who just received a “no” from a publisher?
1. Don’t take it personally. The publisher said “no” to this specific proposal, not you as a writer.
2. Do learn from it. If you’re at a writers’ conference, you can often schedule a time to meet with the acquisitions editor who turned down your book. Do it, and have some nonargumentative questions ready (e.g., “What were the strong and weak points in my proposal?” or “What should I try to do differently in my next book?” not “Why didn’t you understand the insightful allegory in my story?”)
3. Don’t give up. Few novelists sell their first manuscripts, and those that do generally have had to go through several rounds of painful edits first.
4. Do get better. Read good “how to write” books, join a critique group, go to writing conferences. And above all keep writing. Writing is like playing the violin: It may not be pretty when you start, but with practice and good teaching you’ll make beautiful music someday.

****

I have a feeling many of us will be printing out those four points of encouragement. Thanks so much, Rick!

I bid you all - good writing

The Tenacity Interviews - Heather Kendall

Heather Kendall is the author of a Tale of Two Kingdoms, which traces the history of salvation throughout the Bible. She has been a Sunday School teacher of twos and threes and a ladies' Bible study leader for over thirty years. The last couple of years she has published articles in The Canadian Gideon, The Fellowship LINK, and Faith Today. She also has an excerpt in Daily Devotions for Writers. Recently she joined the editorial committee of The Fellowship LINK and discovered what it is like to edit somebody else’s work. Heather lives in Innisfil, Ontario, with her husband of thirty-nine years. They have three grown children.

How did you know you were going to be a writer?

I didn’t. I have always been an avid reader and an enthusiastic student. I learned how to read in kindergarten and often visited the children’s section of the public library. As a teenager, youth leaders taught me how to study the Bible. When I was a young married woman, I began to study the Scriptures on my own and to write copious notes. Years later I progressed to writing essays for my pastor. Boarding a bus in 1996 to take my first business trip convinced me I was a writer. I travelled from North Bay to Toronto to do research in theological libraries.

What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?

I had no idea how to write a proposal for a publishing company, or even that I had to. I was shy about asking pastors to read my manuscript. One publisher required ten endorsements before considering an unsolicited work. I received three. My biggest obstacle was anonymity. Royalty publishers do not want to invest thousands of dollars without being reasonably sure of making money. Even one self-publisher hesitated because I did not have a platform.

What helped you to stay tenacious even when faced with rejection?

For the twelve years I spent writing my book, my family encouraged me not to give up. I also felt I needed more time to grow up spiritually and to improve my writing. Whenever a publisher rejected me, I rewrote the book. In fact, I was learning something new and changing my manuscript until I gave the final approval before going to print.

You decided to self-publish. From my understanding self-publishing is not for the faint of heart. Tell us how your tenacity came into play through that process.

During one of my visits to the theological libraries in Toronto, I accidentally discovered information about the silent years between the Old and New Testaments. I thought this would be interesting to potential readers. Otherwise I may merely have shared my manuscript with my pastor. After being rejected a couple of times by royalty publishers, I posted my proposal on the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association website (ECPA). Three weeks later an editor offered to critique my manuscript for a price. I gladly accepted his suggestions, but I was sad no one else paid attention to me. This editor was associated with a self-publishing company in the United States. After six months on the ECPA website, I realized I would be self-publishing.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned since your book came out?

Not to give up. Marketing a book takes time and requires learning new skills. The Word Guild, a group of authors and editors who are Canadian and Christian, taught me to write articles and to blog for name recognition. In my blog I have been writing devotionals based on observations from nature.

Where will your tenacity take you now?

I am presently working on my second book, God’s Unfolding Story of Salvation: A Bible Study Guide. I have written thirty-seven lessons to trace God’s plan of salvation through the Bible. Afterwards I want to write a short book with ideas taken from my first two books.

What advice do you have for someone who is where you were before you decided to self-publish?

Carefully check out all your options to decide which publisher is best for you. If possible, try to find a royalty publisher who deals with your genre. If you decide to self-publish, first count the emotional and financial cost. As a self-publisher you are responsible for the final product. Therefore seek out editors to improve your work. Then carefully proofread it yourself. Be prepared to invest time and money in marketing your book. Plan how to do this before publishing. I was naïve about this last step.

*****

The world of publishing is filled with choices - it's difficult to know which is the best choice to make for our work. All of us who write, are a small business, and we connect ourselves to other businesses (writers, publishers, printers, agents, etc.) in various ways and with variable results. Always do your homework - get all the facts you need to make the right decision for your project. And remember, a book is not a manuscript - they are very different animals. And a book is always a joint project.

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Margaret Daley

Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. This year she placed second in the Short Contemporary category for the Book of the Year Contest for Heart of the Family. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines. She has sold sixty books to date.

1) How long have you been writing? By this, I mean seriously writing with intention for publication – include the years of struggle before publication.
I started writing seriously in 1978 and sold my first book in 1980, which came out in 1981. I wrote 19 books (1980-1987) but from 1987-1996 I didn’t sell a single book. I tried but couldn’t seem to find a fit for my books anymore. The last publisher I worked for discontinued publishing Dell’s Ecstasy lines so suddenly in 1987 I was out of work. Thankfully in 1996 I sold to Kensington’s Precious Gem line and have been successfully selling since then. I have sold now 60 books but there was a time I didn’t think I would ever sell another book.

2) How many rejections did you receive before the “yes” came? Do you still receive rejections sometimes?
I received tons of rejections before I sold and I still receive rejections.

3) What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?
Finding the right fit with a publisher/editor.
Not getting discouraged while writing.
Lines closing—I’ve had that happen three times to me.

4) What helped you to stay tenacious even when faced with rejection?
I have to write. It is apart of who I am. I am very determined and persistent or I would never have sold after 1987.

5) What has being tenacious taught you about yourself?
Not to give up in the face of overwhelming odds, to keep fighting and believe in yourself.

6) What have you learned since being published?
The market is always changing and nothing is a sure bet.

7) What advice do you have for a writer who is facing “no” right now?
Keep writing and keep submitting. Network as much as you can. That has helped me sell several times.

*******

This short interview is packed with nuggets of wisdom for all writers - worth a second read!

I bid you good writing!

The Tenacity Interviews - Mary Jean Kelso

Welcome Mary Jean Kelso to The Tenacity Interviews. Mary has been writing since the 1960s and she is here to share not only her tenacity secrets, but the wisdom she has gathered over the years.

1) How long have you been writing? By this, I mean seriously writing with intention for publication – include the years of struggle before publication.
In 1960 I decided to take writing seriously. At the time, there were no local writing classes and very little information about writing for publication. If you were a writer you were considered “weird.” I kept writing and submitting and collecting rejection slips. I wrote primarily short stories and, then, in 1964 I completed what would become my first Young Adult novel after a trip to Virginia City Nevada. Originally, I wrote it as a historical. Eventually, I changed it to a contemporary mystery, titled it Goodbye is Forever and began shopping it around. Unfortunately, it was considered “regional” so there was trouble finding a home for it. I gave up and decided to self-publish it. I went to the Nevada State Historical Society in Reno to verify facts and talked to a curator there I knew. He suggested I show it to a publishing friend of his. Eric Moody, now the director of the museum some 25 years later, liked it and sent me a contract. However, my title had to go. He retitled it Mystery in Virginia City. When the book sold out and they opted not to reprint I received the rights back and brought it out as A Virginia City Mystery. Currently it is in its third printing through Wings Press. At last the original title, GOODBYE IS FOREVER, is on the cover. Is that persistence or what?

2) What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?
The obstacles were a shortage of writing education. Having to self-teach and learn by trial and error made it difficult and time consuming. But like a lot of things, the more I studied writing, the more I found to study. Having a young family and working was the second obstacle. Like so many other writers, I learned to write at night after work and after the children were asleep. Of course, also like many other people, one of the biggest obstacles was a lack of money available to pursue my desired career.

3) Did you have a motto/saying/scripture/mantra that helped you through the tough times? What was it, and how did you use it?
Hope has always been my mantra. Perhaps I’m of stubborn pioneer stock but, for some reason, I never give up. Well, almost never. In all the years I have been writing I have never once thought that I would quit. Whether or not I “made it” as a writer I found I gained so much in the way of peace of mind, understanding life, myself and other people, and personal satisfaction that I just kept trudging ahead through all sorts of obstacles.

4) What helped you to stay tenacious even when faced with rejection?
Just too stubborn to give up, I suppose. I remember reading Ken Kesey’s book, Sometimes a Great Notion in two days. The opening scene confirmed in my mind that I, too, was someone who would, “Never give an inch,” when it came to my writing.

5) What have you learned since being published?
I’ve learned that it is enjoyable to help others that are still trying to get published. While I didn’t have the help I could have used, I believe there is a need to encourage and assist other writers along the way.

6) Can you be tenacious and content at the same time?
Perhaps contentment comes from tenaciousness. I often say there are many others that could be published—if they only hadn’t given up along the way. In this day anyone can be published one way or another if they want to be. Whether it is a spiral bound script at Kinkos or traditionally. You just have to keep knocking on doors or decide to do it yourself.

7) What encouragement do you have for a writer who just received a “no” from a publisher?
I always looked for that special notation scrawled across the rejection slip. “This one almost made it!” or “Try us again sometime.” Look for the encouragement where ever you can find it. Then, get the manuscript right back out to the next publisher. After all, the last one might have just spilled hot coffee on his lap (and your manuscript) and that could have caused him to reject your project. Each editor has a different take on the manuscript. You keep looking for one that loves yours. Good luck!
*****
Thanks so much Mary Jean!

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - DiAnn Mills

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold over a million.

Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2008, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and a mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.

DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas.

I hope you get your shot of inspiration and hope today from this great interview with DiAnn!

1) When did you know for certain being a writer was a goal you weren’t going to give up on?
In 1996, when my husband challenged me to quit my job to see if I could get anything published. This was a dream and grabbed it!

2) When did you have to push hardest for your dream? How did you reach for the stars?
I think everyday is a push. Each book has to be written better than the previous one. There is the search for the right word, the right motive, the deepening of character. I reached for the stars by submitting my “baby” to a publisher’s critical eye.

3) Who believed in you the most? What role did they play in your ability to keep going?
My husband believed in me more than I believed in myself. He has always been my best cheerleader and my worst critic.

4) Is tenacity something you learned along the way? Or does it come naturally to you?
I’ve always been driven and very goal oriented – almost to a fault. Writing and being published is not only a ministry for me but is also a God given purpose. How can I not serve Him to the best of my ability?

5) What has being tenacious taught you about yourself?
My relationship with God has to come first, so I need to be tenacious about that aspect of my life. I can achieve my goals, but the work is hard.

6) Where will your tenacity take you next?
That’s a good question. I’m writing contemporary suspense and historical romance. Very different. Challenging, and yet I love both genres. My brand is “Expect an Adventure.” Whatever I write must fulfill those three words.

7) What encouragement do you have for a writer trying to get noticed the right way?
Write everyday. Carve out the time. Make sacrifices and do it.
Read in the genre in which you want to write. Analyze the writing. Highlight what you like and don’t like
Study the books about the craft of writing.
Attend conferences and network with other writers.
Join a writer’s group like ACFW.
Above all pray for God’s guidance and wisdom.

My web site is www.diannmills.com I invite you to subscribe to my monthly newsletter, which is a combination of writer and reader information.
*******
DiAnn was kind enough to send me an ARC of Breach of Trust - I enjoyed it very much, and I'm sure you will to! Thanks DiAnn for dropping in!

I bid you all, good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Laura Davis

After a thirty years as a singer, a medical emergency damaged Laura's vocal chords and she was no longer able to make a living with her voice. She turned to God, and, in time she found a new outlet for her creative expressions. Not only did she write a book, but Laura Davis chose a publishing route that takes all kinds of tenacity: self publishing. Here is your dose of self-publishing tenacity for the week!

1) You knew self-publishing was the way for you to go. In fact, you’ve never submitted your work to a traditional publisher.
Yes, that’s true. When I first started to write my book, it was more out of a desire to please the Lord. You see, when I began praying on what He wanted me to do, (after I lost my voice), the urge to write was so overwhelming, I could not ignore it. I knew the Lord was behind the urge and I knew that He was behind the story. However, as far as what I was to do with it after it was written – I was clueless! I started to get nervous when I felt Him telling me to publish the book, so I assumed it was meant just for family and friends. I’ve since learned NEVER to assume where the Lord is concerned! He had everything planned from the moment I put my hands on the keyboard. I know that it sounds so cliché; I mean what writer doesn’t believe that God had a hand in their creation? But in my case, I truly believe that, because I never set out to be a writer, I never intended to even publish what I wrote, but again – God had other plans.

2) Tell us about your book
Come to Me is about the life of Christ through the eyes of His mother. It begins eleven years after Jesus’ resurrection and his mother Mary is waiting for a visit from the Apostle Luke. Intent on hearing a personal account of Jesus’ life, Luke sets about recording Mary’s words. The Apostle Matthew soon joins them and the two men begin to record the foundations of their Gospels. Told in two parts, Mary reveals what it was like to raise the Saviour of the world. She shares stories of his birth and childhood and we begin to see the human part of Jesus. What was his relationship like with His brothers and sisters? Did he spend time with his cousin John the Baptist when he was younger? The humanity of Jesus is explored, but also his divinity. Did Jesus perform miracles when He was a child? Did He know He was the Son of God? These questions kept popping up when I was writing and so I tried to address them in the book.
In part two, Mary is nearing the end of her life and meeting with Luke once more. Only this time Luke is accompanying her to Ephesus to spend her final days with the Apostle John. Mary begins to share her story once again, this time focusing on the ministry of Jesus, His relationships with His disciples, and of course His death and resurrection. As much as possible I stuck close to scripture, but I did take some creative license when needed. As the story developed, I noticed that a theme was developing and that was on surrendering to God during difficult circumstances.

3) Tell us about the role your tenacity played in getting your book to print.
Every little detail seemed to come from above on this one. It took three years of editing and rewrites before I felt it was suitable for publication. I couldn’t decide on a title and over the course of several days, I would hear the same scripture from different sources (Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest…). The words Come to Me seemed to jump out at me daily. Then one day, I received a Christian cd sampler in the mail, with one song on it. The name of that song? … Come to Me! So I knew what the title was, but what about the cover? I had in my mind what I wanted it to look like. Since the story is about the life of Christ, the cover needed to represent his birth and the reason why He came. I searched for photographers on the internet and met a wonderful Christian gentleman by the name of Gino Santa Maria. He liked my idea (of a manger with a crown of thorns in it), he took several beautiful pictures that brought me to tears, and he then gave them to me free! My daughter who is a freelance illustrator did the cover design and since she had just published her own book with Lulu, I went with them as my publisher. I did look at several other options, but my problem with a lot of the other Print On-Demand places was money and my lack of it! With Lulu, I did not have to purchase a set amount of books and the initial startup was less than two-hundred dollars, which included distribution, ISBN # and marketing.

4) Is tenacity something you learned along the way? Or does it come naturally to you?
I think tenacity, at least in my case, has everything to do with surrendering to God’s will over every aspect of my life. I have had many struggles in my life, from botched surgeries and falling down a flight of stairs (the same year, resulting in permanent damage to my legs and hips), to numerous other health problems, but I always remember and repeat often to myself, that “This too shall pass.” Along, with my life verse from Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” So, tenacity comes naturally to me. I am not inclined to give up when a few “inconveniences” come my way. I just wait on the Lord to see where I went wrong (which is usually the case, because I wasn’t listening), or I plunge right in to a God-sized task, knowing that He is controlling everything and I just have to trust Him for the outcome.

5) Has your dream changed over the years?
Well, since I always thought that I would be singing, I’d definitely say yes! I’m still holding out hope that the Lord will return my voice to me one day, but in the meantime, I will continue to write until He tells me to stop.

6) What were the three biggest obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?
My lack of belief in myself was my biggest obstacle. I was always sure of myself as a singer, but writing was foreign to me. So, it helped when I had wonderful friends who encouraged and supported me. My lack of knowledge with the publishing industry was my next obstacle. Frankly, it scared me to death! There were so many requirements to submitting a story to a publisher (i.e. agents, query letters, proposals, synopsis, etc.), that most of them frightened me away. Here, I clearly did not trust God and went the easy route of self-publishing, which I admit I probably won’t do again. My third obstacle was money – I had none, so promoting my book after it went into print became rather tricky.

7) What advice do you have for someone who is considering self-publishing?
Design a marketing plan and set up a budget or you could spend more than is necessary. Don’t rush your book into print without proper editing and make sure your cover looks professional. Pass your manuscript onto people you trust to give you an honest opinion. You don’t want to go into print and spend a fortune on something that no one would buy. You are not just the author of the book you are the publisher, so start thinking like one! Set up an online presence for yourself. Create your own website. Invest in bookmarks to give away at book signings. Above all, keep your books with you when you are out and about (I keep a box in my car), because you never know when the opportunities will arise when someone might want to purchase one.

You can visit Laura Davis at http://www.authorlauradavis.com
*******
Self-publishing is big business - my advise is if you honestly desire to self-publish proceed with extreme caution and be aware of how much money you truly have to put into the project. Hire a reputable editor to work with your book before going to press. Also, count the cost of travel to promote the book and venues that will allow you to showcase your book. Lastly, be realistic about your expectations of how many copies you will be able to sell on your own. That way you won't end up with a garage full of expensive but homeless books.

I bid you good writing.

The Tenacity Interviews - Mary DeMuth

Mary DeMuth is a busy writer. Not only does she produce fiction and non-fiction books, but she mentors new writers! She will be teaching at Mt. Hermon this April - jump on a plane and join her there.

Author and speaker Mary DeMuth loves to help folks turn their trials into triumphs. Mary’s most recent parenting book is Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, and her next novel releases this month: Daisy Chain. Mary also loves to mentor writers through the publication process at The Writing Spa.

Links:

Personal blog: http://www.relevantblog.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.marydemuth.com

Writing blog: http://www.wannabepublished.blogspot.com

Daisy Chain blog: http://blog.myfamilysecrets.org

1) How long have you been writing? By this, I mean seriously writing with intention for publication – include the years of struggle before publication.

I wrote for ten years in obscurity while my kids were very young. I intended to get published during those years but didn’t have the time or tools to do so (or the understanding of the publishing business). I did publish a newsletter and wrote curriculum. But I seriously pursued publication starting in 2000. By 2003, I had a regular weekly newspaper column, articles in several magazines, a literary agent, and two book contracts. It happened pretty fast.

2) At what point in your writing journey did you begin to think of yourself as “successful”?

When I held my first book in my hands. It’s still a marvel to me when I hold a book. It had been a dream for so many years.

3) What were the top three obstacles you encountered on the road to being published?

One. In the beginning I knew nothing about the publishing business. I sent in articles instead of queries, and I did a lot of shotgun submissions, not reading guidelines. Two. Being new. I simply wasn’t known in the publishing world, so that worked against me. Three. In the midst of five books under contract, our family was moving to France to be missionaries. I was sure I was giving up my publishing dream. On the contrary, everything worked out fine. And I believe the lessons I learned in France about humility, submission, following the Kingdom of God no matter what, truly informs me today as a writer.

4) There is a difference between tenacity and being “bull-headed”. How have you been able to move your dream forward without turning agents/editors off?

Yes, I believe so. I tried to start each conference with this prayer: Lord, help me to minister to people here. Show me the needs. At one conference, I was able to pray for a lady who had been really struggling. During our prayer, she had a huge breakthrough. I counted that conference a success. I hope that my focus is on God’s Kingdom and not advancing my own. Now that I’m published and have good relationships across the industry, I’m so thankful I didn’t view editors like Amway prospects. They are people, and now they’re my friends.

5) How difficult was it to find an agent?

I completed my first novel in 2003 and attended my first major conference that year. I didn’t even know I needed an agent. I met with one well-known agent who said he wasn’t taking any more clients. So I chatted with him and walked away, trusting God. A week later, he emailed me and sought to represent me. I’ve been with Alive Communications ever since. So, in my case it wasn’t hard to find an agent, but remember that it took ten years of hard writing labor before I wrote the book that wooed an agent. It’s great writing that gets us audience with agents.

6) Is tenacity something you learned along the way? Or does it come naturally to you?

I’ve been a tenacious one from the start. In the sixth grade, I decided I would be Valedictorian of my high school. I was. In the middle of that journey, I met Jesus, and that softened me, thankfully. As I wrote in obscurity, I gave myself increasingly harder deadlines, then made myself reach them. By the time I had real deadlines, I had already trained myself to meet them early. I hand in my books and articles early now, much to the surprise of my editors. So, I am tenacious, but I also came to be more tenacious by vigorous training.

7) Where will your tenacity take you next?

I recently started a new business called The Writing Spa (http://www.thewritingspa.com) where I mentor writers through the publication process. Fitting that into my regular writing schedule has been a joy and a challenge. But it’s been such a privilege to raise up new writers who will write for a generation I may not see. What a joy!

*****

Don't treat editors like Amway prospects - some really great advice there! I've seen editors at conferences looking like deer caught in headlights because they have to dodge so many emotional bullets.

If you are planning to attend a conference this year to pitch your work, it's a good idea to practice your pitch over and over, and then pray that you will be calm and allow God to guide your steps. First impressions are important!

I bid you good writing.