Author Interview with Leanna Sain

Today, Love Lines from God welcomes author Leanna Sain. 

When did you decide to become a writer? In other words, what made you actually sit down and write something? 

It was at a Halloween party at a friend’s house. We had hiked out to a spooky cemetery, and on the way back my flashlight glanced over to the right and spotlighted an old wooden gate. While gates on a farm aren’t unusual, this one was. There was no fence—just a gate—sitting all by itself at the edge of a pasture.

“Uh…why do you have a gate without a fence?” I asked my friend. 
  
“Dunno. It was like that when we bought the place.” 

Maintaining the Halloween spirit, I said, “Dum, dum, duuuum. The gate to nowhere.”

We both laughed, then she said, “That sounds like the name of a book.”

“Yeah, it kind of does, doesn’t it.”

“Why don’t you write it?”

“Maybe I will.” 

And that was the story seed for my trilogy: Gate to Nowhere; Return to Nowhere; and Magnolia Blossoms. 

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

They can come from anywhere: newspaper articles, street names, a school bus covered with kudzu vines, or a homeless person on the streets of Savannah. I keep a little notebook in my purse to jot down things that strike me. Those get added to a Word document on my laptop. Right now, the list of story ideas is so long I’ll have to live forever to get them all written.

Why do you write what you do?

It’s what I like to read. I love a good edge-of-your-seat story with a dash of history and sometimes a touch of magic realism stirred in. 

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

Having enough time to get it all done. I don’t have a problem with the actual writing. It’s the “marketing part” that gives me fits.

If you’re a Christian, what are the challenges you believe Christian writers face now and in the future? 

I’ve heard a Christian man—a Sunday school teacher, no less—say you have to include the sex and bad language if you want to sell books. That comment floored me. I disagree. For a Christian, our writing is part of our testimony. And I think people are desperately looking for books and TV shows that don’t include all that. The problem is they’re hard to find. I’m doing what I can to remedy that.

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

My latest book, Hush, is different than the rest of my books. I wrote it while watching my mother struggle through the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It probably took six months to finish the first draft. I used the writing as a sort of therapy, a way to get rid of some of the hard emotions I was dealing with. 
As a result, this book is a little edgier than my others. I created a minor character suffering from the disease, which allowed me to weave some of the things my mother said and did right into the story. I dedicated the book to Mama to honor her. But that didn’t seem to be enough, so I decided to donate half of what I make on sales to Alzheimer’s research. There’s not a cure for this horrible disease and there’s a 100% mortality rate. We need to find a cure.
  
Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.
  
First, the time I must take to promote the book when I’d rather be writing

Second, when the words are flowing and I’m in the writing groove, and I realize I forgot to make dinner.

Third, saying goodbye to the characters I create when I reach the end of the story. They become real when you live with them for so long. It’s a bittersweet feeling.

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

Creating these people and their lives and conflicts and being in control of it all. Well…sort of in control. Sometimes, the characters take the story off in a direction I never intended. But that’s okay, too. I call that “the magic.” 

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

Sue Grafton: I love how her mind worked. Amazing mysteries. I hate that she never got to finish her “Z” book. Sarah Addison Allen: I love the magic realism she weaves through her stories. Frank Peretti: What a great storyteller. Ted Dekker: He is consistently able to produce those “edge-of-your-seat” books I mentioned earlier.

Can you please give us your buy Links? 

https://shoplpc.com/hush
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hush-Leanna-Sain/dp/1645262502/ref=sr_1_1?
https://www.amazon.com/Hush-Leanna-Sain-ebook/dp/B07Z5QVSHQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hush+Sain&qid=1571343107&sr=8-1 

And what are your social media links if people would like to follow you? 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Leannasbooks
Twitter: https://LeannaSain@Leannasbooks
Website and blog: http://leannasain.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/LeannaSain

North Carolina native, Leanna Sain, earned her BA from the University of South Carolina, then moved back to her beloved mountains of Western NC. Her Southern romantic suspense, or “GRIT-lit,” showcases her plot-driven method of writing that successfully rolls the styles of best-selling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into a delightfully hybrid form that is all her own. Her books have stacked up numerous awards, from Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year to the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. She loves leading discussion groups and book clubs. 

Author Interview with Denise Weimer

Today, Love Lines from God welcomes Denise Weimer.

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

My parents were avid historians who took me to historical sites across the Southeast when I was growing up. My active imagination would wonder who lived in those beautiful old homes and charming towns. Around age eleven, I started scribbling down stories about those people in spiral-bound notebooks. I’d read them aloud to my mother, who encouraged me to keep writing.

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

Most of my story ideas come from the legend, lore, or unique history from around my state: Georgia. I love to find a fascinating topic or event that most people don’t know about and explore it in story form. For instance, most folks are aware of the Amish, Shakers, and Quakers but are not familiar with the Moravians. The story line of my latest release from Smitten Historical Romance, The Witness Tree (The Witness Tree on Amazon), starts with a marriage of convenience in the Moravian town of 1805 Salem, North Carolina, and leads to a dangerous assignment in Cherokee Territory.

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

In the past, because I write from home and don’t have my own office there, and because my husband and daughters have all been on different schedules, the biggest challenge has been finding a solid chunk of uninterrupted quiet time. The creative process, at least for me, requires reflection and concentration. Mentally, you go to another place to find that flow.

If you’re a Christian, what are the challenges you believe Christian writers face now and in the future?

With a shrinking Christian market and fewer Christian publishers accepting overt presentations of faith in novels, now is the time for authors to learn how to better integrate faith elements into their stories. We should look at it as not all a bad thing, but a challenge we can rise to. Writing for entertainment alone is a worthy pursuit, but if you can share God’s truths organically with those who need to hear them but might have never picked up a “Christian” title, isn’t that why we’re here?

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

The amount of time it takes me to write a book varies a good bit. I write both historical and contemporary romance (check out Fall Flip on Amazon, a Hallmark-HGTV-style renovation romance released last month with Candlelight Fiction). Bet you can guess which one is quicker.

For my first published series, The Georgia Gold Series, I researched a full year before I ever started to write, then continued researching during the nearly three years it took me to write all four books. By contrast, the most recent book I wrote which is not published yet was a historical in a setting and time period completely new to me. But by a gift of God, I finished it in a blistering six weeks. And I believe it’s my best work yet. The mixed-blood hero of that story is a child at the mission school in The Witness Tree.

And the hardest thing about The Witness Tree, my last published book? Definitely the challenge of bringing two very different people groups together on the page in an accurate and respectful manner. The Moravians and Cherokees had completely different customs and could barely communicate when they started the school for the children of the chiefs.

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

What author doesn’t love that moment when we’re in the zone and the words are flowing, and we know we’re communicating deep emotion or a truth of God that could impact someone for good?

Represented by Hartline Literary Agency, Denise Weimer holds a journalism degree with a minor in history from Asbury University. She is the Managing Editor of Smitten Historical Romance and Heritage Beacon Historical Fiction (imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, now Iron Stream Media) and the author of The Georgia Gold Series, The Restoration Trilogy, and a number of novellas, including Across Three Autumns of Barbour’s Colonial Backcountry Brides Collection. A wife and mother of two daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses. Connect with Denise here:

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Author Interview with Sandra Hart

Today, we welcome Sandra Merville Hart to Love Lines from God. Sandra is the Assistant Editor for DevoKids.com and loves to find unusual or little-known facts in her historical research to use in her stories. Her debut Civil War romance, A Stranger on My Land, was an IRCA Finalist in 2015. Her second recently released Civil War romance novel, A Rebel in My House, is set during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Sandra has contributed to four books and written for several publications and blogs including The Secret Place, Harpstring, Splickety Magazine, Pockets Magazine, and Christian Devotions.

Sandra, welcome.

When did you decide to become a writer? In other words, what made you actually sit down and write something?

I actually dreamed of being a writer in elementary school. I wrote my first book while in the sixth grade. It was a mystery novel, the type I loved to read at that age, where the heroes and heroines were in middle school and high school.

My English teacher asked to read my book but never got around to it. Instead, she gave it to my homeroom teacher. He read it. His only comment? “I read it.” Even a twelve-year-old knows what that means. I didn’t receive encouragement to continue writing. Eventually, I released the dream for the reality that I wasn’t a good writer.

For years, our church choir director encouraged us to share devotions on our weekly songs. I enjoyed writing them and received lots of compliments. The dream was reignited.

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

Inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere. Newspapers, shops, conversations, a chance encounter, and swapping old stories around the dinner table. Ideas have come to me in that dreamless state just before I fully awaken.

The inspiration for the Civil War novels that I write comes by visiting museums local to a battle and talking with folks at restaurants, shops, and visitor centers. Ideas come when I study research books about the battle. I study long enough to feel like I was there. Then I’m ready to write the novel.

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?

When I first began writing, I had to outline my stories. Outlines kept me focused enough to get from chapter one to the end. It’s hard work to write a book. I needed this structure to finish the novel.

After my first four or five books, I didn’t need that structure any longer. I noticed that my characters wanted to veer off in other directions. My story seemed stronger when I gave my imagination wings. Now when I write, I know the beginning and ending with a fuzzy idea of the middle. That works well for me.

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

Allowing the story the freedom to change from what you originally envisioned is like taking a leap of faith. A lot of time and energy goes into the writing process. If this path leads down a wild goose chase, you’ve wasted precious days—maybe weeks.

However, I pray for my novels before I write them. I ask God to give me His story and the courage to write it. That’s where the leap of faith comes in. And the editor makes suggestions that you never thought of that makes the story even stronger.

Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.

A lot of time is spent on tasks other than writing. Most novelists just want to write. Catch them alone with a PC and what they want to do is create.

Unfortunately, we spend a lot of time on marketing. There were a lot of things I never realized I’d have to learn when I decided to become an author—marketing is just one of them. Studying writing books to hone your craft is another necessity. Keeping track of your novel details requires work, too. Staying organized is key.  

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

I learn the writing craft at writer’s conferences, but being in a room filled with writers inspires me. Hanging out with other authors feeds my spirit. They understand how rejections devastate you. They’ve been there. Writing can be a lonely profession. Taking advantage of meeting with other authors helps.

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

I am reading Bury Me with My Pearls by Jane Jenkins Herlong. These are humorous stories from Jane’s life that have made me laugh out loud. Her wisdom has inspired me. I’m also enjoying the novellas in The Cowboy’s Bride Collection published by Barbour.

I like to read novels by authors like Yvonne Lehman, Ann Tatlock, DiAnn Mills, and Kim Vogel Sawyer. I enjoy contemporary romances, romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries, but historical romances are my favorite genre. Research has me poring over a myriad of nonfiction resources.

Tell us about your most recent book. 

A Rebel in My House is set during the turbulent Battle of Gettysburg. The townspeople lived through a nightmare that extended months beyond the battle. This novel gives a glimpse of that suffering through the eyes of a Gettysburg seamstress. A Confederate soldier caught behind enemy lines after retreat needs her help. Sheltering him ushers in more difficulties than she ever imagined. Lines become blurred as her feelings for him grow. Loyalties threaten to divide them as Confederates seize the town. Both have made promises to family members. Some promises are impossible to keep.

Give us your social media links and website so readers can follow you.  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.m.hart.7

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sandra_M_Hart

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8445068.Sandra_Merville_Hart

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sandramhart7/

Website: https://sandramervillehart.wordpress.com/

Watch my book trailer on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j3JI-wECyY&feature=youtu.be

What is the buy link for your book so readers can purchase a copy?

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Rebel-House-Sandra-Merville-Hart/dp/1941103383/

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Interview with author, Larry Timm

We welcome Larry Timm to Love Lines from God. In addition to the joy of being a husband and father, Larry W. Timm is also honored to be the Preaching Minister with the Morton Christian Church in Morton, Illinois. But his greatest privilege is being a follower of Jesus.

Larry, welcome. 

When did you decide to become a writer? In other words, what made you actually sit down and write something?

I got tired of NOT doing it. Seriously. I’ve always loved the power of the written word, but never did much with that passion. Finally, with a bunch of story ideas swirling in my brain, I decided to stop sitting around wishing I could write a novel someday and decided to start writing one. I’ve never regretted that decision. It was such a freeing moment. By the way, that first novel is still unfinished because the idea for Murder for Emily’s Sake took hold of my imagination and said, “You better pay attention to me.” So I did.

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

The ideas come from a lot of places. An idea might come from something I see, read, or hear about. At other times, an idea just pops into my head. If the idea connects with something I feel strongly about, we’re off and running. Then I must be convinced that readers could be moved by the story also. 

Sometimes I have a truth I want to communicate and look for a story idea to serve as the vehicle to carry that truth to the reader.

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?   
  
I’m allergic to outlines. I usually start with a concept and a character or two, then start writing. Occasionally, I picture a scene playing out on the screen in my mind. I’ll try to steer the story in that direction. Sometimes those scenes make the final cut and sometimes they don’t.

As far as how I’ve evolved creatively, probably my biggest area of growth is in giving myself permission to trust my instincts.

What’s the hardest thing about the creative process of writing?

Giving characters the space they need versus the space they want. I don’t do character bios or anything like that, so the characters develop as I write. Sometimes one character becomes more fascinating that I expected and gets a bigger role. Other times, a different character doesn’t add much to the story, so that character gets less page time or gets eliminated completely.

Name the three biggest frustrations about the writing business.

Here are three in no particular order. One frustration would be not being able to write as much as I’d like. Another would be the challenge of deciding which people to listen to and which to ignore when it comes to advice about a given area of the profession. There are a lot of self-appointed experts out there. And a third would be that I wish I was better at the nuts and bolts of grammar than I am.

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

I love the process of creating. To be given the stewardship of story is a great joy. I see it as a gift from God that deserves my best effort. I enjoy getting to create characters that show the best and worst of human nature. And the adrenaline really pumps through me when I’m working to paint word pictures of how the spiritual battle between good and evil explodes in the physical world of my story. I’m thrilled when something I care deeply about unfolds on the page in a powerful way!

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

I just finished Terri Blackstock’s first book in The Moonlighters Series, which is called Truth Stained Lies, and am getting ready to start the second book in the series, Distortion. Terri is one of my favorite writers because I feel like there’s a “realness” to her writing.

Another of my favorite writers is Joseph Courtemanche. His debut novel, Assault on Saint Agnes, is awesome. He writes with a grit I admire.

Another favorite writer is Karl Bacon. His historical novels about the Civil War are incredibly moving.

Nancy Mehl is a suspense writer I greatly admire. She writes with a lot of heart and soul.

The fact is, it’s impossible to give proper space to all the writers that inspire me. Brandilyn Collins, Rene Gutteridge, Ronie Kendig, Deborah Raney, Jim Rubart, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and so many others are great examples of storytellers who know how to connect with readers. I hope I can do as well someday.

And one of my all-time favorite writers is Dean Koontz. He has the ability to stretch my imagination and open my eyes to the realities of the battle between good and evil, unlike anyone ever has. 

Tell us about your most recent book.

Murder for Emily’s Sake is my debut suspense novel about a man who seeks revenge on the three women he holds responsible for his teenage daughter’s death. They met his daughter, Emily, outside of an abortion clinic and truthfully answer her questions about the baby inside her womb. Emily decides to let the baby live. It will end up being a decision that costs her life when, due to rare complication, she dies in the delivery room. Her father swears that, just like he had to bury Emily, he will bury the three women. But he will bury them alive. The three women, who are used to defending the lives of the unborn, must now fight for their own lives.

It’s about how life is not only one of God’s most sacred gifts to us; it is often the most fragile. It’s about being grateful for all the things God gives us—from the miraculous to the mundane. Murder for Emily’s Sake celebrates the courage and strength and conviction and commitment of those who are willing to stand up for what is sacred and true. It celebrates hope, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

This story moved me deeply as it unfolded on the page. I hope and pray it will have the same impact for the reader.

Where can readers order your book?

There are links to order the book on my website: www.booksbylarrywtimm.com 

I also encourage readers to connect with me through my website, my Amazon Author page, or my Goodreads Author Page.

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Author Interview with Jill Holler - Martin Wiles

We welcome author Jill Holler to our site today. 

Tell us, Jill, when did you decide to become a writer, and what made you actually sit down and write something?


Unlike many authors, I never had dreams of becoming an author as a child or young adult. It was something God revealed to me slowly as I grew in His Word over the past decade. I am an English teacher, and I have always enjoyed reading and have done well at writing essays, but to become an author was never a consideration. 

However, as I started growing in my faith, I began journaling about Scripture and the things on my heart and mind. I started to realize how clearly God spoke to the circumstances of my life through His Word. Writing became a personal, active conversation with God, and it was something I began to treasure dearly. As an avid reader of devotional books (especially Streams in the Desert), I realized I wanted to offer my meditations on God’s Word to other people too. This is where my devotional book, Life in His Hands: A Call to Godly Surrender and Purposeful Living, began.

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

My ideas come from the overflow of spending time in God’s Word. On my own, I have little to offer, but as I spend time in God’s Word, praying for Him to open my eyes so that I may understand the Scriptures, He faithfully reveals things to me. He astounds me with the wonder of who He is and shows me truths I have never fully considered. He shows me that His Word is not simply a guide for living, but the driving force of power in my life. God is the greatest treasure in my life, and I want to keep seeking Him to know Him even more.

I write to help spread a passion for God—to draw readers closer to the heart of God—so that they will be encouraged to live for Christ and love Him enough to give Him their all. It took me a long time to realize the importance of this myself, and I want to do anything I can do to help propel people toward a life of purpose in Jesus Christ. 

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?

I prefer to see where an idea takes me. When I began writing my devotional book, I didn’t know exactly where it would go, but as I wrote, I realized God was leading me to write about surrendering to a life of purpose only He could provide. What I wrote was not planned out—but instead was prompted by the circumstances of my life and the direction God was leading me through Scripture. The words in Life in His Hands were lessons for my own soul, ones I needed to instill deeply into the foundation of my faith. I have been through some deep, dark valleys, but God’s light has shone into my life, and I want to share this hope with readers.

After writing my first devotional book, I feel I have come to terms with the fact that my plans for books, blogs, or whatever I am writing, always take back seat to whatever God is up to next. I can have a plan for the direction I am going in my writing, but I always want to be open to the likely possibility that God may lead me somewhere different. I have come to expect the unexpected with God…and that is a good thing because His plans are always better than what I can create on my own.

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

Sometimes I struggle with the ability to be patient. I may want to sit down and write all day long, but God may be asking me to wait. I think the creative process of writing requires some time for just reflecting and waiting on the Lord. If I try to rush it, I don’t write well, and I can easily get frustrated because things aren’t going my way. So I’ve been working on simply trusting God in His timing and goodness.

Name your three biggest frustrations about the writing business.

1) Keeping up with all the latest marketing and social networking I need to do, 2) wishing I could devote my whole life to writing, yet realizing I need a little extra income, and 3) struggling with the concept of promoting myself as a writer (and as an introvert!).

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

When I think about writing, I get so excited because even though I don’t know where God will lead me, I know it will be good. I can’t wait to unearth a treasure from God’s Word or sit in awe as God reveals truths to me that speak right to my life circumstances. I know through writing I will grow deeper in my faith and my love for Christ—and there is no greater joy than that.

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

I am currently reading Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. He reveals so clearly what the crucified life really looks like—to put everything else aside for the cause of Christ and live unashamedly for Him. As a Christian, this is how I want to live, and this book has made this concept come to life for me.

L.B. Cowman’s Streams in the Desert is a book I read daily and has been an inspiration to me as a devotional writer, so she is definitely one of my favorite authors. Also, I love anything by Timothy Keller and Christine Caine. Christine Caine’s books Undaunted and Unashamed have been invaluable to my faith walk.

Tell us about your most recent book. 

It has been the joy of my life to write Life in His Hands. This devotional book has drawn me so close to God, and I pray that it will do the same for others. I pray that the words in this book will speak to readers in a real, authentic way and captivate them through the power of Scripture. This book, as the subtitle suggests, is “A Call to Godly Surrender and Purposeful Living,” which arose from my own struggles to do so. It is a tender cry to believers to give everything for the cause of Christ, even in the midst of the struggles and circumstances of life that try to steal our joy. I pray those reading it will be abundantly blessed by the knowledge that there is no greater hope in our lives than Jesus Christ, the One who saves us and loves us with an everlasting love. 

Jill, give us your social media links and websites so our readers can follow you. 


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

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/Jill_Holler

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/JillHoller

Website:   www.changedbyhisgrace.com

Amazon Author Page:   www.amazon.com/author/jillholler


And where can readers purchase your book?  

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1938499581

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-in-his-hands-jill-holler/1124705660

LPC: http://shoplpc.com/product/life-in-his-hands/

Thanks so much, Jill, for joining us today. We are trusting God to do great things through your book. 

Jill Holler is a mother, wife, teacher, and writer who holds a master’s degree in English from Western Illinois University. She has taught writing classes at both Joliet Junior College in Illinois and Muscatine Community College in Iowa. Yet far beyond her education and career, the words in the Bible have opened her eyes to truths that have forever impacted her life. Once blind to the power that resides in God’s Word, Jill now seeks it with all her heart, knowing that within the pages of the Bible are the truth and life she has been longing for. 

Author Interview with Trina Matous

Today, my guest is Trina Matous. Trina has a Masters of Arts in Christian Ministry from Ashland Theological Seminary and is a passionate Bible teacher and writer. For more than 20 years, she has shared Biblical truths in compelling and memorable ways as a Bible study leader and a member of the Restorative Prayer Team at her church. Her trip through Turkey—visiting historic sites such as Istanbul, Ephesus, Cappadocia, Haran and Antioch, as well as two trips to Israel’s holy sites, bring reality to Trina’s teaching and writing. Additionally, Trina loves to watch birds, cook, travel, work in her garden, and knit.

Welcome, Trina. Begin by telling us when you decided to become a writer. 

I did not actually set out to become a writer. Though I learned in college that I could write and had used strong proofreading and editing skills in many of my jobs, I only wrote the occasional devotional. That changed in 2006 when my church asked me to write a series of notes to accompany the Read-through-the-Bible-in-a-Year program we were doing. 

For the next two years, I wrote through first the Old Testament and then the New. The notes were written specifically for each day’s reading and included background information, definitions, explanations of ancient cultural practices, cross-references to applicable scripture, historical context, and modern day application. Fifty to 100 copies were taken from the racks every Sunday, and people frequently expressed their appreciation when a reference helped them better understand the scripture they were reading.

After the two years, I thought I was done with the project, but God had other plans. Just as He opened the door for me to write the notes in the first place, He opened a door that led to publishing the notes. Though I initially found it difficult to say I am a writer, today God has shown me He is using my ability to write for His purposes and glory. 

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

My ideas generally come from two places: scripture and the insights God gives me from everyday experiences. For instance, a squirrel fell down our chimney and died in our basement despite my best efforts to get him back outside. God showed me how this is a picture of how we sometimes turn our backs on the blessings He wants to give us because we fear the unknown and refuse to trust in His goodness.

I’d have to say I write what I do because God keeps opening doors and inviting me to walk through. There’s no doubt that sometimes the open door leads far outside my comfort zone, but I’m learning over and over God can be trusted. He never invites me to walk through the door and then closes it leaving me all by myself. He walks through the door and is with me every step He asks me to take. 

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

I’ve never written an outline, but as I think about this question, I’d have to say scripture itself initially served as my outline. It dictated what I focused on each day. Today, my writing is a bit more free-flowing. I often start with an idea and watch it develop as I write. 

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

Discipline to sit down and actually write. When I had to turn a particular set of notes in to my church each week, I had no real issue with writing. I had a deadline and knew what needed to be done. 

Since then, however, I haven’t had such hard and fast deadlines. I find myself seeing an insight God has laid before me, but not working on it right then and there or even making notes. I think I’ll get to it at some point. Then when I finally do want to write it out, I’ve forgotten what it was in the first place. I’d find writing easier if I were more disciplined. 

Name your biggest frustrations about the writing business.

• Today writers are expected to market their books as well as write them. Sales and marketing has never been my strength, so I struggle with how to do that. I would rather write.

• The number of social media sites that can be used for marketing. I think I could spend all my time just maintaining numerous sites. I’ve limited myself to three, but often wonder if I’ve picked the right ones or should be doing something else. 


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

Often God has shown me the insight, but I haven’t fully developed the idea. As I begin to write, the words and sometimes even additional insights come together in ways I could not have foreseen. 

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

The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith and My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke

I’m not much of a fiction reader, but really enjoyed the political intrigue written by Joel Rosenburg. 

Over the past several years, I’ve been working my way through Nancy Guthrie’s Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. These studies are so insightful and do a great job of bringing to light the many ways in which Jesus is foreshadowed in the people and stories of the Old Testament. Not only have I learned a great deal about scripture, but I also am reminded again of God’s sovereignty and compassion as He wove together a single story that seamlessly spanned thousands of years. As I more fully appreciate the redemption God graciously offers us, I fall deeper in love with Him.

Thank you, Trina, for taking the time to speak with us. Can you tell us what your social media links are and what your website is?

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TBresserMatous

Twitter: @TBresserMatous

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/trinabressermatous

Website: trinabressermatous.com 

And if readers would like to purchase your books, where might they do so? 

Paul’s Letters to the Early Church https://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103421

The Epistles of James, Peter, and Jude https://www.amazon.com/dp/1941103464