Book of Books - Martin Wiles

For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Hebrews 4:12 NLT

No book exists forever … except one.

Collecting old books is a hobby I treasure. I have amassed hundreds of books dating from the 1800’s. One I happened upon was dated 1821. For its age, the book remained in excellent condition. The inside page noted a Charleston, South Carolina, library had housed it. I quickly grabbed it, took it to the register, and gave them two dollars. But despite its condition, one day, it too will deteriorate.

Only one book will last forever, and the writer of Hebrews tells why. The Bible is living--not bound by covers that will fade, crumble, separate from pages, and finally dissolve or be tossed away. No material that books are made from is indestructible—the Bible included. But God’s Word won’t disappear because the covers and pages deteriorate.

God's Word Is a Person

The Word of God is more than covers and paper. It is a person. John wrote, “In the beginning, the Word already existed” (John 1:1). God gave his Word to writers, but it existed before then and will continue to exist even if all Bibles are destroyed.

God's Spirit Preserves His Word

God’s life-giving Spirit preserves his Word, and he is more powerful than any force imaginable. The Word is sharper than the sharpest knife, slicing deep into our innermost beings to expose our true selves so that we might compare our current state with what God wants. When God reveals the gap, we can petition him for guidance to bridge the chasm.

God's Word Is Meant to Be Handled

I shelve my old books. Some I wrap in cellophane. Rarely do I read any of them. Turning the pages would only hasten their demise. Not so with God’s Word. God wants us to handle, digest, and experience it.

Let God’s eternal Word shape your actions and attitudes.

Father, enable your Word to become alive in my life.

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing. No one escapes life's hurts, but we can move beyond them to hope and healing. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

In the Fog - Anita van der Elst

And the glory of the LORD settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from inside the cloud. Exodus 24:16 NLT 

A line in a novel sparked my thoughts. A character remarked, “A fog of books sounds like a very good problem to have.”

Whether driving through fog patches, being unable to discern clearly what lies ahead, or feeling like my mind is foggy as I try to concentrate on serious concepts, I never saw fog as beneficial. But then, thoughts of how God expressed himself through the cloud on Mount Sinai and later in the Temple arose. I remembered that clouds are similar to fog because they are both formed of water vapor. Jesus referred to the living water he would give anyone who believes in him. The Word of God refreshes like cool water from a bubbling spring.

Indeed, I cannot see through the fog or the cloud. But when I allow myself to be enveloped by God’s Spirit, like Moses on Mount Sinai, when I peruse God's words written down in the Bible, that great “fog of books,” and rely on him to counsel me on my steps, I experience refreshing comfort. Through that screen of spiritual condensation, the Lord protects me from seeing what could frighten me. He drenches me with ample opportunity to trust in him as I move along step by step.  

Avail yourself of the refreshing condensation of God's Word. Take a step into the cloud of his presence today.

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Known for What - Martin Wiles

When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honor to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 1 Kings 10:1 NLT

Most know her only as the creator of Harry Potter. 

Most people don’t know what J. K. Rowling went through before becoming successful. Rowling first conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 as she rode a train from Manchester to London. She began putting the fully-formed story onto paper but was interrupted when her mother died after a ten-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

Two years later, Rowling moved to Portugal, where she taught English, met a man, married, and had a daughter. One year later, the marriage ended. She then moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, to be closer to her sister. By this time, she had three chapters of the future famous book in her suitcase.

Rowling didn’t see herself as a successful person but a failure. She had no job and no money. She was also divorced and had a child. Bouts of depression assaulted her, and she eventually found herself signing up for welfare.  

By 1995, Rowling had finished the book—but had also experienced rejection from twelve major publishers. One year later, Bloomsbury, a small publishing house, accepted her manuscript and offered her a small advance. They published the book in 1997 but printed only one thousand copies, five hundred of which they distributed to libraries.  

Amazingly, in 1997 and 1998, Harry Potter won awards from Nestle Smarties Book Prize and the British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year. Today, Rowling’s books have sold more than four hundred million copies, and she is considered one of the most successful women authors in the United Kingdom.

King Solomon wrote, too, but people knew him for more than that. His fame made headlines, so much so that the queen of Sheba had to see him for herself. His material and chattel possessions amazed her, but so did his wisdom. Especially the way he solved a puzzle about which mother a particular baby belonged to. When two women came claiming a specific child belonged to them—and neither would tell the truth—Solomon demanded that the child be cut in half and one half given to each woman. Of course, the birth mother didn’t want her child killed, so she offered it to the woman making the false claim.

Some girls are known for wanting the bad boys, and some boys are known for wanting the bad girls. Rowling certainly isn’t the only person known for overcoming difficult circumstances and moving ahead to success. Successful people fill history’s pages. And other authors trump Rowland’s reputation.

Of all the things for which others could know us—or of all the things for which we might want to be known—God has his own list in mind. His list might not make us famous or known worldwide, but living by his directory will bring us peace, fulfillment, and joy, as we won’t discover anywhere else.

God’s roster includes honesty, integrity, selflessness, kindness, love, joy, and optimism. Things Jesus modeled while on earth. Traits some didn’t appreciate but that others admired. Things, however, that pleased his heavenly Father.

Our enemy will tempt us to be known for things that displease God, but God gives us a different list. When we allow others to know us by the things on God’s register, we’ll please God. And that, after all, is the most important thing in life. At the end of the day, what God thinks is all that matters.

Make up your mind to be known by those characteristics that reflect the God you serve.

Father, I want to be known as your follower and reflect your traits in my life. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Loving the Book - Martin Wiles

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. Matthew 5:18 NLT

One of my books is 203 years old.

I grew up in a literate home with parents who taught me to appreciate the value of a good book and demonstrated their teaching by example. Books lay everywhere in our home. 

Another of my prized possessions is my collection of Hardy Boys books, which I owned as a middle schooler. I loved reading about their adventures. I also collect them when I can find them at thrift stores. 

Back in my childhood days, technology had not introduced eBooks, so all books came in paperback and hardback form. I don’t remember Mom having many books. She was more of a magazine lady. 

But Dad … well … he owned books, and since he was a preacher, he had many books: commentaries, Bibles, and Christian living. And the longer he preached, the more his collection grew—a collection Mom passed along to me after he died.

For a time during high school and for a few years thereafter, I lost my passion for books. But when I started college, my desire returned, and I began my own collection--a compilation that has grown and changed over the years as I have donated and given away books.

Around middle age, I began collecting pre-1940 books. Since I’m a lover of all things old, collecting old books seemed to fit my personality. Every time my wife and I visited a thrift store, I scanned the bookshelves for old books. I learned to pick them out with just a glance. Soon, they lined the shelves of my bookcases, and I found myself looking for space to put my not-so-old books.

My most prized book also came from a thrift store. I remember pulling it from the shelf and opening the front cover to find the copyright date. Before seeing it, I saw a sticker on the inside cover, stating the book had once belonged to a library in Charleston, South Carolina. No wonder the book was in such good shape. But the copyright date excited me more: 1821.

Loving history, I sometimes think of all the world events that have occurred since this book was published. To keep it in pristine shape, I covered it with plastic wrap.

No dust particles will spoil my antique book, but time will. Eventually, my prized book will deteriorate, or someone will throw it away—perhaps one of my children who might not appreciate old books. In fact, that same thing will happen to my entire book collection.

But according to Jesus, that will never happen to His Word, even if every Bible were somehow destroyed. Jesus is the Word and will remain should every written copy of God’s Word deteriorate or be destroyed by some other means.

Dad read the Bible to our family when my brothers and I were young boys. When I got old enough, he told me I needed to read it for myself. He also taught me it contained truth—absolute truth. That’s comforting to know, especially in a world that has trouble believing absolute truth even exists. 

What God said was right in the beginning is still right, and what He pronounced wrong is still wrong. Whether I live in America, Africa, Russia, or wherever. And whether it’s the twenty-first century or the twenty-eight century. Truth I can hang my hat on. The truth that will guide me through life and provide me more wisdom than any of my old books can ever hope to do.

Truth that gives me hope that this world is not hopelessly spiraling out of control, but has a sovereign Creator controlling it. Truth that guides me to forgiveness. And truth that leads me to eternal life with a God who loves me more than life itself. Now, that’s a book worth reading and basing my life around.

I’m the proud owner of many of my dad’s Bibles. I also have some of my grandparents’ Bibles--even one that belonged to a great-grandmother. Most are in well-worn shape. 

I know one day they’ll disappear from my family’s possession. They’ll deteriorate beyond repair. A relative won’t appreciate them anymore or know whom they belonged to. They might find themselves in a bin at a thrift store or perched on a shelf. But no matter what happens to them—or any of our Bibles—God’s Word remains in our hearts if we let it.

Of all the books you may own, let God’s Word be the most essential.

Father, prompt me to build my life on the most important book in the world: Your Word. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Life's Many Moods: A Collection of Poetry, in eBook or paperback. Throughout the years, poets have expressed emotions in various ways through the picturesque method of poetry. Click on the title above to order your copy today. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

The Throw-Down - Martin Wiles

“Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Exodus 4:3 NLT

As a child, I loved to read. During my rebellious teen years, I stopped reading. In college, I re-discovered my love of books. My library grew—this was before eBooks came along. Since my wife and I later became antique collectors, I suppose it was natural for me to collect old books—old meaning books published before 1940. The spare bedroom in our small patio townhome became my office and library. Bookshelves lined each wall, mostly filled with old books my wife and I discovered at thrift stores.

Only a few of my books held value to anyone else or an antique dealer—such as my oldest book, which came from a Charleston, South Carolina, library and boasts a publication date a shade over two hundred years ago. But all hold great value to me. When I am dead and gone, my children will either sell them at a yard sale or, more likely, donate them to a thrift store. I don’t read any of my old books. The time-worn pages wouldn’t stand turning without falling out, or the binding would crumble. They sit on my shelves or at various places around the house where my wife uses them as decorations.

At least, that’s how the bedroom looked before we decided to turn it into a bedroom for the grandboys or other overnight guests. My wife—an intelligent woman—produced a solution using a picture she had seen on Instagram. We needed to eliminate four shelves of books to make room for the bed, but how? Use the books as a headboard, of course. We needed one anyway, since we only had a frame for the mattress.

So, I handed my wife books I’d probably never use—newer books—and she stacked them on the floor. Before I knew it, she had constructed a headboard, carefully placing old books that the grandboys would one day read on the top so they could reach them. We slid the bed frame against her masterpiece and had a headboard. This allowed me to display my old books on the remaining shelves.

Our headboard stood firm until I decided I wanted a book near the bottom of the headboard stack. I carefully removed the book, thinking it would not affect my wife’s masterpiece. I was wrong. Like dominos, three-fourths of the books tumbled to the floor and onto me. I had created a mess—one my wife was not in the mood to fix. She made several attempts but could never arrange them as they were initially. Finally, she turned the catastrophe over to me to do the best I could.

All of this in the name of keeping old books. I can’t imagine throwing them down and tearing up their fragile bindings, casting them aside, selling them, or donating them to a thrift store or library. Perhaps Moses also couldn’t imagine casting aside what he depended on so much: his shepherd’s staff.

God’s people had languished in Egyptian slavery for four hundred years, but now the time had come for their deliverance. Moses had been shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep. Shepherds need a good staff for many reasons. But when God appeared to Moses in a flaming bush and told him to tell the king of Egypt to let the Israelites go, Moses had to throw down what he depended on temporarily.

This wouldn’t be the last time Moses had to throw down his staff. He later used it to divide the Red Sea so the Israelites could cross. He also used it to strike a rock so water would flow out for the thirsty wilderness wanderers.

Letting go of things we cherish is difficult, but sometimes they get in our way of serving God. Moses had to change his view of his staff. He had to throw down what he had once used it for and begin to see it as an instrument to fulfill God’s plan.

Jesus said He would reward those who gave up everything to follow Him. He didn’t always ask everyone to surrender all they had, but some He did. Whether we have to misses the point. Our willingness is the key.

Moses made a few excuses for why he wasn’t the right man for the job and couldn’t go to the king at God’s request. God answered each excuse. Moses had to throw them down, as he did the staff.

God’s plan for us varies, but it always involves a throw-down. Not a fight with God—although sometimes it might come to spiritual blows—but a voluntary letting go of what keeps us from moving forward with God’s will.

Some of the things we hold onto are sinful; some are not. But even those that aren’t, we need to throw down if they interfere with us doing what God asks. The list is endless, interesting, challenging, and unique to each of us. It may include relationships, jobs, play toys, hobbies, habits, friends, family members, education, and dreams. God will help us forge forward without looking back when we’re willing.

Consider at least one thing you might need to throw down so God can have your full attention.

 

Father, lead me to throw down those things that keep me from Your best. 

If you enjoyed this devotion, please share it with your friends. 

 

I invite you to try my newest book, Hurt, Hope, and Healing, in eBook or paperback. These 52 devotions will take you from hurt to hope to healing. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Blue Kangaroo - Cathy Hill

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 NIV

I found the book hidden under a stack of others. 

Of the hundreds of books I have read to my daughter, this little book was one of our favorites. When nap time came, I reassured her she would love it.

A tiny little girl had a dear friend named “Blue Kangaroo.” Blue Kangaroo went everywhere with the little girl, and her affection for her little friend was quite evident. Through a series of visitors and a birthday party, the little girl received a handful of other small and large stuffed toys. Each one took a place in her heart and her bed until Blue Kangaroo was far off to the side.

Night after night, Blue Kangaroo expressed his worries and sadness until finally, his little mind wrote, “There’s just no room for me anymore.” And he rolled off the side of the bed.

Magically, Blue Kangaroo found his way to her brother’s bed. In a desperate search the next morning, the little girl found the kangaroo and exchanged all her new toys for the kangaroo.

My Ava loved the Blue Kangaroo, and she adored his heroic return. I admit I did too.

We want a happy ending, we want to know everything will be okay, and we want things and people and precious parts of our hearts to stay in the order they were meant to be.

Only they do not. At times, the Spirit of God can seem like our breath. But then life gets in the way. The newness of self-sufficiency comes first, followed by control and pride. We seem not to need anything or anyone. We have it all, until the unthinkable happens.

And then we wonder where our first love went. We wonder if what we held will still hold us. If God is listening when we whisper agony in the middle of the night.

Our view has dimmed as if looking through a foggy window. He is there—we somehow know He is there—but He is unrecognizable because we have pushed Him to a corner.

Pull God in. Don’t trade the glory He holds for the good of what you hold.

Tweetable: Do you need to pull God closer?

Cathy is a writer, teacher, and entrepreneur. She met her husband Brian while studying in Paris, France. They make their home in Geneva, IL, with their four children and their daughter-in-love. She loves writing about the wonder and whimsy of life and her love for Jesus. Her first book is Destination: Fierce, Moving from Fear to Fierce. Learn more about Cathy at www.cathyjoyhill.com.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

Author Interview with Susan Mathis

Today, Love Lines from God welcomes author, Susan Mathis. 

After a career in writing nonfiction, I hear you’ve settled into writing only historical fiction. What is your most difficult writing obstacle?

Transitioning from writing nonfiction to historical fiction was a huge leap but a wonderful discovery in finding my sweet spot. I studied fiction writing for about two years before launching out in this wonderful journey. I read books about the craft, went to writing conferences, and learned from mentors, critique groups, and more, and I’m thrilled to dedicate the rest of my writing career to this genre. Now I have five published historical fiction books on the market and am working on another for the end of the year.

Why do you write what you do and where do your ideas come from?

I grew up just twenty minutes from the Thousand Islands. In fact, my husband and I visit the Thousand Islands region in upstate NY every summer. It’s a beautiful, largely unknown piece of the world where the St. Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario. There are nearly 1800 islands there, including the largest, Wolfe Island, which is in Ontario, Canada. 

I chose the Gilded Age because that’s when the playground of the rich and famous took off—1872 until about 1910. The Bournes were one of the Gilded Age titan families from New York city whose “hunting lodge” called The Towers was built on Dark Island. Intrigue, mystery, and beauty surround this Thousand Islands Gilded Age story.

All summer long, tourists enjoy cruising around the Thousand Islands, passing by Pullman Island (the setting of my first novel, Katelyn’s Choice), and hearing the stories of yesteryear. As a historic landmark, these islands are invaluable, and so are the stories that go with it. 

What kind of research did you have to do?

Ah, how I love research, and I love to be accurate. Besides combing through volumes of information, there’s nothing like being there on the island. The owner of the island has had us over to visit the island twice now. He’s toured us around and let us roam at will to get the “feel” of being there. My sweet hubby took hundreds of photos that jog my memory as I write.

I’m also super blessed because my historical editor is the president of the Thousand Islands Historical Association and has written several nonfiction books about the island. She’s awesome and has gone through each of my manuscripts with a fine-tooth comb. When I mistakenly have my character take a left instead of a right to get to the kitchen, she faithfully corrects me. 

What is the hardest thing about the creative process of writing? 

Sleeping. I lie in bed and think about the next scene, the next chapter, and the next book until I have to get up and write it down.

What are the challenges you believe Christian writers face now and in the future? 

Being salt and light in this ever politically-correct and darkening world without beating readers over the head with the truth. We need to season our writing with love and truth, but also make it palatable for not just the choir. 

If you would, please tell us what was the hardest thing about writing your last book? And how long does it typically take you to finish your books?

It takes me less than six months to write a full-length novel—three to four months for a novella. I guess the hardest thing was knowing how much detail to add to my story. There was so much interesting information I could’ve added, but that’s where my wonderful editor helped me slice and dice it to perfection.

Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.

Spending so much time marketing, low return on investment (few authors get paid what they deserve) and Amazon gobbling up so much of the marketplace. 

On the flip side, what excites you the most about the creative process?

Dreaming up the story! The characters. The scenes. The plot. And taking real historical figures and places and integrating them into a story that shows what it was like back then. My imagination really is my playground.

Tell us a little about Devyn’s Dilemma.

Longing for love, can she escape the shadows that follow her to Dark Island?

1910, Thousand Islands, New York. Others may consider The Towers castle on Dark Island an enchanting summer retreat, but to Devyn McKenna, it’s a prison. Yet as she works as a maid for Frederick Bourne, former president of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, her life blossoms under the kindness of his family and fascinating entrepreneurs such as J.P. Morgan, Thomas Lipton, and Captain Vanderbilt. But more than anything, the growing friendship of Mr. Bourne’s valet, Brice McBride, begins to pry away the painful layers that conceal Devyn’s heart. 

Brice is drawn to the mysterious Devyn even though he’s certain she’s hiding a secret, one far more dangerous than the clues they find in The Towers that hint of a treasure on the island. When Devyn is accused of stealing Bourne’s investment in Vanderbilt’s New York City subway expansion, he might not be able to protect her. 

Can you give us your social links so others can follow you? 

Website: www.SusanGMathis.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanGMathis

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@SusanGMathis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susangmathis

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/susangmathisaut

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6044608.Susan_G_Mathis

And can you give us the buy links for you newest book?

Lighthouse Publishing: https://shoplpc.com/devyns-dilemma

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Devyns-Dilemma-Thousand-Islands-Gilded/dp/1645262731  

Susan G Mathis is an award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Her first two books of The Thousand Islands Gilded Age series, Devyn’s Dilemma and Katelyn’s Choice are available now, and she’s working on book three. The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, and Sara’s Surprise are also available. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com for more.


Susan is also a published author of two premarital books with her husband, Dale, two children's picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs, enjoys traveling globally with her wonderful husband, and relishes each time she gets to see or Skype with her four granddaughters.


Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

Author Interview with Terri Wangard.

Today, Love Lines from God welcomes author, Terri Wangard.  

Welcome, Terri. Tell us when you decided to become a writer, and what made you actually sit down and write something?

I’ve always loved books. Visiting libraries was (and still is) a favorite pastime. I did well in writing classes but hadn’t considered trying to write a book. That changed after I’d read books that left me thinking, I could do better than that. So it was a bit of “put my money where my mouth is.”

Every writer is eventually asked this question, but where do your ideas come from? Why do you write what you do?

My first writing attempt was a cruise romance. I love cruising, and writers should write what they know. My first published book, Friends & Enemies, was inspired by family history on the German side during World War II—again, what I know.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to see where an idea takes you? How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

Most of my writing is historicals, and I’m a slave to detail. In my WWII series, the mission schedules of the B-17 groups are known, so I felt I had to stick to those dates. In that sense, I had an outline for the hero. For the heroine, I had ideas of her activities that were more flexible as I wrote.

What is the hardest thing about the creative process of writing?

Maintaining continuity. I work full-time, and due to a tendency for migraines, I limit my off-hours time on computers. My writing is confined to weekends, and it’s hard to pick up where I left off.

Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.

Maintaining a social media presence and keeping it fresh and interesting, mastering marketing, and following all the “rules” of correct writing.

On the flip side, what excites you the most about the creative process?

I love research—learning about the time period and imagining what my characters experience. Writing allows me to vicariously live through my characters.

What are you reading at the moment, and who are a few of your favorite authors and why?

The Fire and the Darkness; the Bombing of Dresden, 1945 by Sinclair McKay. I read as much, if not more, non-fiction as fiction. My favorite fiction authors include Robin Jones Gunn, Kristi Hunter, Sarah Sundin. Their writing is not dark. I want my reading to be relaxing, not stressful.

Tell us about your most recent book.

Roll Back the Clouds features the Lusitania. I love cruising, and I’ve always been more fascinated by the Lusitania than the Titanic.

Geoff and Rosaleen Bonnard travel to England aboard the fabled liner. When a German submarine hurtles a torpedo into the grand ship, Rosaleen makes it into a lifeboat, but her husband is missing? Geoff is finally located in a Cork hospital, suffering a back injury. Rosaleen sinks into depression, the battered faces of dead babies haunting her. Her once happy life seems out of reach. 

Can you give us your social media links and website so readers can follow you?  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard

Twitter: @terriwangard

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/terriwangard

Instagram:  @terriwangard

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/

Website: http://www.terriwangard.com

And what is the buy link for your book?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1659679842

Tweetable: Stop by for an interview with author Terri Wangard. 

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days, she writes historical fiction and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions. She is also a 2012 Genesis finalist. Terri holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science. Her research has included riding in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

Thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts! We also invite you to follow and like us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. Help us spread God's encouragement through His Love Lines.

Author Interview with Denise Weimer

Love Lines from God welcomes author, Denise Weimer. 

Welcome, Denise. Tell us when you decided to become a writer? In other words, what made you actually sit down and write something?

Around age eleven, I began to scribble stories about the historical sites my parents took me to visit. My active imagination compelled me to take pen in hand!


Every writer is eventually asked this question, but where do your ideas come from?

I love to spin stories from the little-known lore and legend of my home state of Georgia, but I believe the drive and skill to write is a calling from God—along with the themes I prayerfully work into my stories.

Why do you write what you do?

I started with historical romance and branched out into contemporary at the urging of my agent. Writing stories set in the past is refreshing due to the manners and morals that were present in most periods of American history. Many of my contemporary stories have some history woven in because I love to have characters learn lessons from the past. I tend to spurn main characters who are warm and fuzzy and perfect the whole way through the book for those who start with some rough edges (usually covering insecurity or past hurt) and experience transformation or healing through God’s power throughout the story.

What is the hardest thing about the creative process of writing?

The creative process is the easy part for me—though I will admit, I get nervous about whether a story idea will be gripping or appealing enough for readers. Once I’ve settled on the topic and plot, though, things begin to flow. 

For me, the hard part is marketing. I love creating memes on Canva and participating in Facebook parties. But marketing is a hard taskmaster. Once a book releases, it eats up all your time and a lot of money—paying for ads and blog tours and booth fees, giving away lots of free books, and traveling to signings. There’s also a lot of vulnerability in putting yourself out there, both on the page and socially. It can be rewarding to form relationships with readers, but you have to expect crushing moments as well. That’s why it’s good to know you are called to write, that you do it for the Lord and not just for yourself—and that your self-worth is not dependent on followers or reviews.

If you would, please tell us what was the hardest thing about writing your last book? 

For Spring Splash, the thing that scared me the most was writing secondary characters with special needs. I don’t have relatives with special needs, and I wanted my depiction to be accurate and respectful. But I wanted this athletic romance to incorporate more than what I’d gleaned in fifteen years as a swim mom. The special needs team I’d seen compete during my daughter’s high school meets inspired me several years ago, and I haven’t been able to forget them. So I visited that local special needs organization and their swim team and asked the directors to serve as beta readers. 

I believe the fear of getting something wrong keeps many authors from including special needs characters in their stories, which in the long run is a disservice. If writers wrote strictly on what they had experienced and places where they lived, we’d lose so many impactful stories. And there would be no historicals—my original genre and the one for which I serve as a managing editor at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas!

Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.

Great question! First, it’s disappointing how self-publishing and e-books have flooded the market so thoroughly that it’s almost impossible to get a new release noticed. Authors rely on sales and reviews for a publisher to pick them up again, yet they have only several months after a book releases to generate buzz in this crowded market.

Second, readers usually have no idea how little an author makes on each book sold—often under a dollar per book. Even when selling their own copies in person, they have invested 40 to 50 percent of retail, more if they paid shipping. Then, we have to add in travel, booth fees, and the percentages charged by retail shops. I dearly wish things were different so that authors who work almost full-time at their craft could make a living at it. Instead, most make under $5,000 annually.

Finally, I wish it was easier for new authors to break into traditional publishing. Twitter’s online pitch days help out, but attending conferences where one can meet editors and agents is cost-prohibitive for many.

On the flip side, what excites you the most about the creative process?

The moment when the research is done, the plot is outlined, and the story begins to flow. And you look back at the chapter and feel in your heart that it’s good.

What are you reading now, and who are a few of your favorite authors and why?

As I’m doing this interview, I’ve just finished reading two novels, Sand Creek Serenade by Jennifer Hough Uhlarik and Mist O’er the Voyageur by Naomi Musch. Jennifer and Naomi are Smitten Historical Romance authors like myself, and I thoroughly enjoyed both of their novels. They’re right up there with my traditional favorite historical romance authors Shannon McNear, Laura Frantz, Francine Rivers, and Michelle Griep.

Can you give the readers the buy links for your books?  

Spring Splash

Traces

Sautee Shadows

Witness Tree

And could you provide readers your social media links. 

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Website

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BookBub

Tweetable: Read what author, Denise Weimer, says about writing and her latest book, #springsplash.

Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance and romantic suspense set in her home state of Georgia. She’s authored eleven novels and a number of novellas. As a managing editor at Smitten Historical Romance and Heritage Beacon Fiction, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, she also helps others reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.