Don’t miss today’s live Adventures in Odyssey webcast. Tune in to WhitsEnd.org at 3:30 PM MT and you’ll see special interviews with Katie Leigh, Chris Anthony, Shona Kennedy, plus the reveal of the top secret destination of the winners of the ACTS contest. Hosted by Jesse Florea, Bob Smithouser, and yours truly, we hope you’ll join us for this kick off celebration! See you then.
It looks like we see O’Hare airport perhaps, and an intact airplane. Could the wave have to do with Lake Michigan? Currently it is a swamp in the book. What do you think? Have you read this series yet?
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I recently had the pleasure of meeting author John Erickson author the Hank the Cowdog Series. I am inspired by how popular John’s series has been and the success God has given him. He has reached millions of kids with these great stories. I hope you’ll enjoy the interview below.
Q: Everyone seems to have a “How I got published” story. What is yours?
A: I took the long, winding road. For fifteen years, while I was working as a cowboy and handyman, I wrote in the early morning hours, sent off hundreds of query letters and manuscripts, and received mostly rejection slips. When I couldn’t stand any more rejection, I started my own publishing company, Maverick Books, in our garage in Perryton, Texas. We brought out the first Hank the Cowdog book and audio book in 1983. The series has done well. Thirty years later, we are up to book 61 and the series has sold almost 8 million copies. Self-publishing has allowed me to keep control of the movie and television rights to all my stories—very important in an age with jaded taste.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
A: I didn’t write much, or even think about it, until I began writing poetry for my senior English teacher. Through her, I began to realize that I might have a gift for writing. I wrote a fair amount in college, then when I married Kris, I began writing everyday, first thing in the morning. I’m still following that discipline forty-six years later.
Q: Tell me a little about your books.
A: I have written biographies, historical novels, and a number of nonfiction books about my experiences as a cowboy, but I am best known as the author of the Hank the Cowdog series of books and audiobooks. Hank is a dog on a ranch in Texas and he calls himself the Head of Ranch Security. He has a good heart but very little self- knowledge. The books are funny. I want the reader to laugh out loud and enjoy the experience of reading. The Hank books have become one of the most popular children’s series in America, but I wrote them for a three-generation family. And they were always meant to be read aloud. That’s why I’ve done all the stories as audio books and have performed them myself.
Q: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
A: I have been influenced by the novels of Mark Twain, Arthur Conan Doyle, Herman Wouk, and Elmer Kelton; by ranchers and cowboys who came from a rich oral tradition of storytelling; by my work with animals on our ranch; by the King James Bible; by good, strong parents and a godly wife who believed in what I was doing. Maybe the earliest and most powerful influence came from my mother. When I was a boy, she read Bible stories to me and said, “God has given you a talent. Always guard it and use it wisely.” Those two simple sentences have sustained me through some very hard times. Who but a mother could do that?
Q: Who are your books aimed at? If applicable: What are some of the challenges of writing for your audience?
A: My Hank the Cowdog books are often considered children’s books, but the audience I have in mind is a three-generation family, sitting around the kitchen table on a cold winter evening. They are experiencing the delight of using the English language and sharing a story. I want them to laugh together as a family. Laughter is one of God’s great gifts to the human race, and all of us need more of it. Stories can bring families closer together. That is one of the things I hope to accomplish through my writing.
Q: What were some of the challenges for you writing your book?
A: Early in my career, I faced the challenge of learning how and what to write. I attended college during the 1960’s, a dark period in American history, and I picked up some bad ideas about writing. I had to learn how to tell a good, simple story, and to make it worth the price of a book. Then I faced the challenge of rejection by major publishers. It was very difficult to continue writing, day after day for fifteen years, when all my manuscripts were being turned down. And, finally, I’ve had to learn the meaning of “success.” Money is part of it, but there’s more, as Jesus reminded us in Mark 8:36. To paraphrase: “What’s left of you after you’ve become a star?”
Q: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
A: C.S. Lewis once said, “We don’t need more Christian books. We need more books by Christians.” That describes the way I approach the craft of writing. I’m a storyteller. I tell stories that are honest and funny. I don’t set out to preach, yet I have never doubted that beautiful art must be grounded in something bigger than the artist himself. The very first sentence of the Bible lays it out in stunning brevity. This is God’s world. We are here to enjoy it, protect it, and describe its beauty and symmetry through art and music. When we do it well, we become good stewards of God’s creation. To me, that is a Christian vocation.
Q: What can you tell us about any future releases you have planned?
A: I have produced two Hank the Cowdog books and audio books every year since 1983, and I plan to continue doing that as long as I enjoy it. If it ever becomes drudgery, it’s time to quit. We are also working on a Hank movie with a small independent filmmaker. If we can raise the money through private investors, we’re going to make a beautiful movie. I have waited a long time so that we can do it right.
Q: Coke or Pepsi?
A: Neither. I don’t drink soda pop. My favorite drinks are water and juice.
Q: Favorite place to vacation?
A: I live on a beautiful ranch with a beautiful wife and two good dogs. Every day is a vacation for me and, though I have to travel some in my business, I love staying home.
Q: Favorite season?
A: Fall is probably my favorite season. It breaks the heat of summer and brings an explosion of vivid colors.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday memory?
A: My favorite holidays are Christmas and Easter, and the best part of both is the music we do in our church choir. We always do a big cantata at Easter, and our community performs Handel’s magnificent “Messiah” every December.
Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
A: One of my favorite verses is the first sentence in Genesis: “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” That sets the stage for everything else. It tells us where we came from, and that we occupy a place that is full of meaning and purpose—if we seek it out.
Thanks John for sharing your story with us.
Check out more about Hank the Cowdog at John’s website: Hank the Cowdog
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Nancy Sanders, author of the latest Imagination Station Book, Challenge on the Hill of Fire. I got the opportunity to have lunch with Nancy and her husband Jeff while they were out here, what a very cool couple they are! And it turns out Jeff really likes The Quest for Truth.
Q: Everyone seems to have a “how I got published” story. What is yours?
When I started out, I knew nothing about writing. I didn’t know how to format manuscripts or submit to publishers. I think one of the first manuscripts I ever submitted was handwritten in red pen on lined notebook paper and I mailed it to one of my favorite authors, asking them to publish it. Imagine! That’s how little I knew about the business of writing.
So if I can experience success as a writer and learn the skills of writing and learn about the business of getting published, anyone can!
Q: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
After our two sons, Dan and Ben, were born, I loved reading children’s books to them. I started thinking, “I could write one of these!” So I tried it and fell in love with writing children’s books. About a year later, I felt that God was calling me to be His scribe. So I started taking writing seriously as my purpose in life.
Q: Tell me a little about your books.
I’ve had over 80 books published by publishers big and small. Some have won big awards. Some haven’t won any awards at all. Some have made lots and lots of money (enough to help buy our house). Some haven’t made any money at all. Some have been bestsellers for their publishing houses. Some have gone out of print even before I received my author’s copies in the mail. 
) You can learn more about my books at my site: http://nancysbookzone.wordpress.com/
Q: What was your favorite book as a teen?
Jane Eyre
Q: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would like to co-write a book with someday, and why?
I’d love to co-write a book with Charlotte Brontë, the author of Jane Eyre. That’s because Charlotte had fun when she wrote, and I love to have fun, too! Charlotte and her sisters Emily and Anne loved to jot down notes on tiny scraps of paper. Their brother, Branwell, called this habit of theirs scribblemania. They even made miniature books and tiny magazines that are collector’s items today!
They’d also spend the evenings together reading their manuscripts aloud to each other, giving each other encouragement and feedback. Then they’d discuss ideas they had for the upcoming scenes in their novels. Plus, they’d spend time sitting together, each one writing their own manuscripts during the quiet evenings at their home in Yorkshire on the wind-swept moor.
I just think this whole writing process would be so much fun to do together with Charlotte!
Q: What do you want readers to take away from your articles and books?
I write for one purpose only. For my readers to meet Jesus, fall in love with Him, and want to spend every day with Him as their Lord and Savior here on earth and then in eternity.
Some articles and books I write to draw in the person who is totally lost and does not know Jesus at all. Other articles and books I write to draw in people who are searching so that they can find Jesus, the answer to all their questions. Other articles and books I write to draw in people who are Christians, but have either fallen away or don’t yet know what it’s like to live the abundant life and spend quality time with Jesus every day. And other articles and books I write to encourage Christians to run the race and fight the good fight by having a relationship so intimate with Jesus that it influences their entire identity. As a children’s writer, I’m always writing with kids in mind, but I’m also writing for their parents, teachers, and people of influence in their lives. Because those are the people who share my books with them.
Q: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Faith drives every word I write. I don’t want to write anything that is on my own. I only want to write with God’s purpose and God’s intention and God’s heart. Even the books and articles that I write for the general market are written out of a purpose and a calling to write according to my marching orders from God.
That’s why I like to meet with God every day. I want to hear directly from Him regarding the writing I do. To learn more about how you can do this, too, visit my site One Hour Each Day at http://onehoureachday.wordpress.com/
You see, Jesus talked about writing very clearly in Matthew 23. The NKJV is especially insightful. Time after time, he said, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” He repeated this phrase 6 times!
But then Jesus declares in Matthew 23:34, “Therefore indeed, I sent you wise men, prophets, and scribes.”
Obviously, according to Jesus, there are two different kinds of scribes. And if Jesus is sending forth one group of scribes, this implies that these scribes are people who hang out with Jesus. How else can He send them out?
So I want to be a scribe who hangs out with Jesus. Every day. I want to sit at His feet and listen to His words. I want to hear what’s on His heart for today and grasp the message He wants to send out for such a time as this.
And then I want to sit down and write and send His message to the world.
How does this translate to practical experience? I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve sat at Jesus’ feet reading the Bible and journaling my prayers to Him, and He’s given me an idea totally out of the blue for a potential writing project. And then when I contact an editor or publisher with that idea, they jump on it and offer me a contract. For instance, one time while I was meeting with Jesus, He gave me the idea for a new book. I called an editor I work with at a top publishing house in the general market and told her my idea. She said, “I just had a dream about that very idea last night! Yes! I want you to write that book!!!” Things like that have happened time and time again over my writing career.
Q: What can you tell us about your most recent books?
Three of my recently published books this past year include:
Frederick Douglass for Kids: His Life and Times With 21 Activities
Challenge on the Hill of Fire
Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books
Frederick Douglass for Kids is one of the most awesome journeys I’ve ever taken as a writer! For starters, my husband Jeff and I got to take a two-week photo-research tour where we basically walked in Douglass’s footsteps from his birthplace to the place he was living when he died. Many of the photographs we took are in this book, making this book like no other book written about Frederick Douglass. Plus, Douglass is now my new American hero. What an amazing person he was! And his faith in God compelled him to do the things he did. He talks frankly about his faith in his autobiographies, so I was able to highlight this in my book about him, too. It’s the 2012 Silver NAPPA (National Parenting Publications) winner. You can visit its site for free teacher and parent materials at http://frederickdouglass.wordpress.com/
In Challenge on the Hill of Fire, I got to take young readers on an exciting adventure to meet Patrick, who single-handedly followed God’s call to spread the Gospel in Ireland. How cool is that? Now only can kids read about this awesome man of faith, but my prayer is that they’ll be inspired to follow Patrick’s example and make a difference in their world for Jesus.
I decided to self-publish a second book in my Yes! You Can series of how-to books for children’s writers. I’ve written over 400 beginning reader stories that have been published over the years in a variety of venues, including the bestseller for Scholastic, 25 Read and Write Mini-Books That Teach Word Families. Yet every time I was struggling as a writer to write for the beginning reader market, I couldn’t find any how-to books to help me. So I decided to publish a book on my own to help other authors experience success in this market, too. You can read more about my book and how to purchase Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books at my site, http://yesyoucanlearn.wordpress.com/
Q: Coke or Pepsi?
I don’t like pop, so I’ve never had either. I much prefer coconut water, carrot juice, a fruit smoothie, or a refreshing bottle of spring water!
Q: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos?
Taco salads, yummy!
Q: Favorite writing buddies?
My two cats, Sandman and Pitterpat. Lots of times when I sit down on the couch with my laptop for a writing session, I prop my feet up on the recliner, Pitterpat curls up at my feet, and Sandman snuggles up under my arm. They love to help me write. In fact, they even have their own website with all their favorite writing tips, Writing According to Humphrey and Friends! Check it out at http://writingaccordingtohumphrey.wordpress.com/
Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Every day I have a brand new favorite Bible verse!!!! My husband, Jeff, and I love to read the One Year Bible. We’ve been reading it for over 10 years now, I think. 
In fact, now our whole church is reading it. Every day I have some new issue that I’m dealing with, and when I go read God’s daily dose of His Word, He always gives me the perfect verse to comfort me, encourage me, and anchor my hope upon. So today, my favorite Bible verse is…drumroll please…
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples’
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints.
Praise the Lord!
-Psalm 149:5-7, NJKV
How’s that for a verse for us as writers?!!!
Q: Favorite pasta dish?
Eggplant Parmesan with whole wheat pasta and marinara sauce at Olive Garden. With their awesome garden salad, of course. All this favorite food stuff is making me hungry!
Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are some examples?
Sometimes I like to choose a song or CD that’s my theme song for a particular book project I’m working on. Other times I like to write when it’s quiet so I can concentrate better.
Most writing days during my lunch break, I put on a worship CD and spend some time just worshipping God and thanking Him for His goodness. Often I’ll play worship CDs when I’m doing writing related tasks such as researching images or creating my bibliography or posting on my blog. All my worship CDs are on my iPod, so I love to listen to them all. Examples include Mercy Me, Hillsongs, Marty Goetz, and the Praise Songs. And when I get good news such as an offer for a book contract or an awesome book review, I always put on “Shouts of Joy,” from Paul Wilbur’s CD, The Watchman, and spend time with God giving him some shouts of joy!
You can listen to “Shouts of Joy” at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psh3_eEh9zo
To learn more about Nancy and her books you can check out her website: www.nancyisanders.com or her blog: http://nancyisanders.wordpress.com/
Join us at https://www.facebook.com/events/350106761758181
And on May 22 at 3:30 pm Mountain time you can join Jesse Florea, Bob Smithouser and me (Brock Eastman) while we host a live webcast kicking off this years Adventures in Odyssey promotion.
Join us at http://www.whitsend.org/
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Why should you have me come speak?
I’m a dad, a husband, an author, AND I get to work on the amazing Adventures in Odyssey program as a content producer.
I want to come and speak to your class, school, library, homeschool group, or writing group. Not only do I want to write books and share my stories, but I also want to motivate and excite students and adults to share their stories, encouraging them to create through the use of their own imaginations. I believe everyone has a story to tell; most people either do not know how or are not motivated to do it. Well, I want to help!
Why do I want to help? Because I was there! As a student, I was interested in neither writing nor reading. I was a “C/B” student and did not pick up a book to read unless I HAD to. Admittedly, I usually ended up skimming those books. What I learned was that I missed out on many amazing stories. The time I lost NOT reading and NOT paying attention in class is coming back to haunt me. I want to encourage young people to maximize and take advantage of the time they have now, as it will greatly benefit them in the future.
We have no way of knowing the path laid out before us. If you would have asked me in elementary school what I wanted to be, I would have said a paleontologist. In fact, I was the only 2nd grader in my school who could spell the word! Then, in middle school and high school, I chose a “real” career– aerospace engineering! I loved math and was pretty good at it; however, something changed my junior year and I chose marketing. I discovered that I had a more creative side that I wanted to let free. Marketing took me to great places and gave me the opportunity to become an author, but that’s a story I’ll share with you when we meet.
I understand that budgets are limited, so the funds necessary to bring an author to your location may not be available. If that is your situation, we can use Skype, Google Hangout, or a simple conference call. I’ve listed some prices below, but please do not hesitate to call and discuss with me if, for some reason, these prices are out of your range. This is not about money; it is about a passion to share my story and motivate students. After all, they ARE our future!
I would even love to have lunch with the students in the cafeteria, or participate in P.E. Just let me know to bring my gym shoes!
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Here are some topics I like to speak about:
Why do I write? Why should you?
How can I come up with ideas for my story?
Dreaded writer’s block–How can I overcome it?
Time, time, when do I write?
Characters: How do they become real? Can characters surprise you?
Don’t put the book down. How do you keep readers engaged throughout the entire book?
Why should you pay attention in class? How will the things you learn NOW save you time LATER?
Finish the manuscript!
Read, read, read, and then read some more!
God’s story for each of us and His amazing path.
How did I (Brock) get published? And how can you?
If you have a topic you’d like me to speak on, let’s talk about it. I am happy to customize a talk to fit your group’s needs.
Email me at the address below if you are interested in having me speak to your class:
info (a) brockeastman (dot) com
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Colorado Springs:
No cost. I only ask for the ability to sell and sign books.
Colorado – Front Range:
*$50 to $75 to cover my gas and lunch
*The opportunity to sell and sign books
Colorado:
*$150 to $200 to cover gas, hotel, and lunch
*The opportunity to sell and sign books
Central Illinois:
*$200 to $300 to cover airfare and food
*The opportunity to sell and sign books
United States – 48 Contingent States:
*$500 to $750 to cover airfare, food, and hotel
*The ability to sell and sign books
United States – Hawaii, Alaska, Territories:
*$600 to $1200 to cover airfare, food, and hotel
*The opportunity to sell and sign books
Skype, Google Hangout, Conference Call:
*$0 to $100.
*I only request for the organizer to collect book sales prior to the speaking engagement, so that I can sign the books live and interact with the kids who have purchased the books.
So Chik-fil-A recently rolled out a new set of kids’ meal prizes and I found one I really like. In fact I would recommend that any aspiring authors buy this game. It’s called Tell Tale and it’s a game by Blue Orange. Each circle card is full color and has an image on each side. The art is great and the randomness of the items can give you infinite ideas.
Here is how I plan on using this game. Say you’re stuck writing a scene for your latest NY Times bestseller and get stuck. Pull out your little blue cylinder and dump out the cards, then shuffle them around with your hand and draw about five. Place them in front of you and write a 1000 word story about what you have before you. This should get you out of the writer’s block you might have and free your mind.
You could also use the cards to actually move your story forward, by using them as the elements of the scene. Now this won’t work for every story as there are several interesting items as you can see, a Gingerbread Man, Banana Peel, Chicken. But if you spend a minute at least trying to use them for your story, it might get you free.
A third way to use this is simply sift through the stack and say what is on the card aloud. Moon, Guitar, Train, Forest, etc. You’d be surprised how the different sound coming from your mouth and then hearing them said will inspire you.
So now I want to read your story. I’ll choose the best one and award them a signed copy of any of my books, including the future release of Unleash or BlizzardSage. Write your best 1000 word story from the below story cards and email it to info (a) brockeastman (dot) com then sign up for the eNewsletter HERE and watch for my announcement of the winner in May. This contest runs from today through May 15th at midinght.
Here are your eight cards. Have fun!
Now go be inspired!
I am just finishing up book 2 – Insurgent.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/04/17/veronica-roth-divergent-reveal-video/2091139/
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing New York Times Best-Selling author Cindy Woodsmall. The latest book in her Amish Vines and Orchards series just released his month. My wife is quick to point out that Cindy is one of her absolute favorite authors. The proof lies in how quickly she reads Cindy’s books. The below interview with Cindy was an inspiration to me as I read her answers about her writing journey and the path that God set her on. I hope you enjoy the interview.
Q: Everyone seems to have a “how I got published” story. What is yours?
I began writing the Amish story of my heart in 1999. I went to my first writers’ conference in 2002. Like so many others in life, I never really felt as if I fit in no matter where I went or what I was involved doing, but once at that conference, I felt as if I’d found my place—among other lovers of words and imaginative worlds. I came away so excited at the idea of getting the story inside my heart onto the written page in a way that captured readers minds and hearts, so my world became immersed in everything to do with writing. When I was on how best to convey on paper what was happening in the scene, I’d study book after book, talk to a writing mentor, and I would even dream about writing methods and solutions. Two years later I felt I was ready to turn in the first chapter to a few editors.
I was encouraged to receive wonderful feedback on my writing. I even had a potential offer to put me under contract if I’d write anything except Amish fiction. At the time only Beverly Lewis was writing Amish stories in trade fiction, and editors weren’t sure the market would hold strong for a second Amish author. Besides, they didn’t like the idea of a new writer following in the footsteps of such an established author.
I spent a few restless weeks deciding whether to follow the editor’s advice or stick to my Amish stories. It was a rough choice. It didn’t make sense for an unpublished writer to turn down the opportunity for a contract with a big publishing house. But after weeks of sleeplessness, I knew I had to continue with the story I’d written.
With that decision made, I made another—to pitch my story to every editor at every conference possible. Unfortunately, with one exception, the editors I spoke with were not interested in testing the market to see if it could support a second author writing Amish fiction.
In the spring of 2005, I submitted the first chapter of When the Heart Cries to an editor with WaterBrook Press (a division of Random House). By that time Wanda Brunstetter had moved into writing Amish stories for trade fiction. If there wasn’t room for me with only one Amish author, what would it do to my chances if there were two? But the editor for WaterBrook believed my story was strong enough to draw in readers regardless whether my setting and characters were based in Amish or not, so she asked me to turn in a full manuscript. I did, it passed the committee, and I had my first contract! That book was released in the fall of 2006.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
I actually struggled with the whole idea of writing professionally, even after I attended my first writers conference. To feel I fit in the Inspirational writing world was one thing, to feel I should pursue making that a career was another. Still, the hunger to understand story development and create stories began quite young.
One of my earliest childhood memories is of my mother reading to me before bedtime. After she left the room, I reworked every story she’d read to me. If Cinderella had been the ugly one, how would that change the outcome? If the stepsisters had been the nice ones, how would that have affected the story? I hated when I became too sleepy to continue working on those ideas and imaging the new story lines. That was the beginning of my love of thinking about plotlines and characterization.
But while in high school, I had an experience that turned me off to writing. Our English teacher gave the class a creative writing assignment, and my mother helped me brainstorm it. She was my first reader, and we spent days talking about it. Working on it with her was a lot of fun, but I had no idea the teacher was going to turn the assignments in to a countywide writing contest. All I wanted was a good grade on the assignment, and I received it. But the teacher never returned the story. Months later the school was called to the gymnasium for assembly, and a few awards were given out for various things. My name was called. My heart about stopped, and when I went up on stage, I was given a three-foot trophy. After the assembly was over, I stuffed the trophy into my locker, turned to a friend, and said, “I’ll never write again!” And I meant it. I was mortified! When it was time to go home that day, I hid the trophy under a sweater and put all writing behind me.
The lesson I eventually learned from that experience is that we as teachers and parents are often doomed J. Even when we try to encourage our children, the experience can undermine them. I just couldn’t deal with the spotlight or feeling I’d done something that special.
If I can take a side trail for a moment, I think that one experience is what led me to pray Psalm 127: 1 over my children continually: Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
In each prayer time I was yielding every good thing my husband and I did for my children to the God who knows how to take those building supplies and build according to what that child needs. He knows them. He must build their house. As a parent and teacher, I believe we should do everything we can for them, but I knew from my own experience that is simply not enough. I could sacrifice to give a great gift to them and that could undermine their motivation rather than adding to it. I could work beside them all throughout each day and that could inspire them or cause them to hate working. Only He can take those experiences and create what needs to be created.
So as a young woman set against writing, the years moved forward, stories continued to pound me, and I did everything I could to free myself of them—including whining to God to make them go away!
After many years of refusing to write, I slowly worked through many of my reservations, so once that was accomplished, I attended an American Christian Fiction writers’ conference (www.acfw.com). I took the time to learn how to get the story of my heart onto the written page. Then I went through the process of finding a publisher. It wasn’t easy, but I had peace the whole way, possibly because I would’ve been fine if I never became published. When I received my first contract, I prayed that enough books would sell that my publisher wouldn’t be disappointed. That was my only goal.
My first book ended up being a finalist in a contest I didn’t enter; it was for the ECPA Book of the Year contest, alongside three other authors, one of whom was Karen Kingsbury! It was a huge honor, but I immediately began struggling with the whole concept of writing and competition. That bit of a spotlight felt overwhelming and wrong. I spent weeks praying, trying to get the much-needed perspective. While in a restaurant with my family, I was distracted with praying about the situation when I saw the back of a man’s t-shirt. It said: let the competition begin and let God get the glory.
I gained a lot of peace that night. Oh, and Karen Kingsbury won the award J. Do I need to add that I was pleased for her and relieved for me? It seems that some aspects of who we are will never completely go away. We just have to deal with it.
There are a lot of roads in life, and we often take the wrong one, thinking it’s the right one. I’m very grateful that God kept directing me toward the “write” road.
Q: Tell me a little about your books.
I’ve written twelve works of fiction and one work of nonfiction, and I’m currently working on book three in my Amish Vines and Orchards series.
My real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families make devising the stories a lot of fun. I cherish the weeks I’ve spent staying with Amish families. The culture is so different from ours. The mindset so fully on keeping the Old Ways, and it’s such a blessing when writing to be able to draw from my time among the Plain people.
My co-author for my nonfiction book is an Old Order Amish woman named Miriam Flaud. Sometimes she and other Amish friends help me brainstorm my stories before I begin writing them. When I’m visiting an Old Order Amish home, there are times when an Amish woman will bring a baked good and we’ll have a slice along with a cup of coffee while she tells me an event from her own life that she thinks would make a good novel.
Q: What was your favorite book as a teen?
I’ll make a confession here, but it’ll be our secret, Brock, right? J My first love was nonfiction, and I don’t recall the titles or authors of most of those books, but I LOVED them, and I still remember the journeys they shared. I’d grab up whichever book I was reading before my feet hit the floor each morning, and I’d read throughout breakfast, chores, and while waiting for the bus. My mother was a volunteer on the mission board for our local church, and she taught teen missions, so she kept me stocked in stories of brave women and their struggle to be a worthy drop in the ocean. I also loved fan fiction from pop culture shows like Adam-12 and Hawaii Five-0.
As a young teen, I loved Johnny Tremain above all others! Followed by Island of the Blue Dolphins and Red Sails to Capri. As an older teen, I couldn’t get enough of Gone with the Wind and The Scarlet Letter.
Q: Describe your feelings when you opened the box and saw the first published copies of your very first book?
I would love to be able to tell you that I soared with elation. Many of my author friends danced around their homes and embraced the moment fully. But I didn’t even open the box. Hours later, when my husband came home, he opened it. He was excited and coaxed me into leaving my office to take a look at the book. I remember running my hands over the cool, smooth cover, and then returning to my office to work on book two. The deadline for the sequel was pressing in, and my energy and attention were funneled into that project. Looking back, I think I was scared that When the Heart Cries wouldn’t be enough of a success for the publisher to be pleased they’d put me under contract, so I brushed my personal feelings about it under the rug—as if the only thing that really mattered was the next project.
Q: What were some of the challenges for you writing your book?
My greatest challenge for my first series was the research. There are a lot of varied elements in a series, and I didn’t have a log of human resources to support me. I ended up spending time in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a nurse. I worked with a skilled OB/GYN. I rode Amtrak for eighteen hours. I spent spring break in Alliance, Ohio. I went to a birthing center, and also stayed with Old Order Amish friends for several weeks. And I exchanged numerous e-mails and had long phone calls with district attorneys, police, and I interviewed a room full of Old Order patriarchs. Interviewing the Old Order Amish men on the topics I needed was daunting, but they were gracious and honest. After that first series was written, I had a list of experts in various fields who I can turn to more readily than with my first novel. So treat your resource friends well. Lavish them with thanks, include them in your acknowledgment page, and send small gifts.
Q: What do you want readers to take away from your book?
Beautiful. Treasured. Energized strength. The kind of strength that comes through stirring faith, hope, and love. Those can reach beyond all reasonable boundaries and roadblocks, bringing into existence all we need. But each one of us must be renewed regularly or we grow weary, get out of sorts with God, and lose sight of finish line.
Q: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Subtly and realistically, I hope. I aim to have a character-driven story, not an author or an agenda-driven one. From birth, people are on a journey, and by the time my story picks up, my characters are young people, often in their late teens to late twenties; I want to get into their hearts and minds. What have they learned about life? What do they want from life? What mistakes have they made?
I feel that people may love God and may be fully dedicated to him, but most don’t live their lives thinking: what is my Christian message to the world? Christ in us is a beautiful, ageless message, as unique as each person. So the question each character will inevitable answer is: how does His love and His will mixed with the strength and weakness of who I am come across in the life of a novel? Then, if a specific verse or message comes to the character, it will be organic in the same way when God speaks to us. Then faith becomes a part of the story.
Q: What can you tell us about any future releases you have planned?
The Winnowing Season released April 2. It’s the second book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series. Book three, For Every Season, will release in the fall.
A sneak peek into The Winnowing Season ~
The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?
On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.
Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally.
Can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?
To read an excerpt or to order The Winnowing Season, go to: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/books/amish-vines-and-orchards-series/the-winnowing-season/
As for my future plans, I can’t share that right now, but if I get my “hopes,” I’ll begin a new series in about two years that will take the author and reader into something very special.
Q: Favorite place to vacation?
Panama City Beach, Florida! My husband and I and our children have been going each year for about twenty-five years. Wow, have we seen changes to that vacation spot, most have been for the better. We continue to gather there once a year. It gets more challenging as our sons had to coordinate time around college and work, and we schedule around their wives needs also. We draw names ahead of time, and while there, we celebrate everyone’s birthday. It’s such a treasured time for us. I know it’s not the extravagant vacation many dream of, but to have a week each year to spend with the whole family, well, it’s always been a dream for my husband and myself. We talked about it when our children were quite little. This past summer was our first vacation with our first grandchild. I’m truly blessed to have such wonderful daughters-in-law, and I do my best to live in a way that they can say the same of their mother-in-law! I love those young women so much. I had concerns they may not want to go on a yearly vacation with their in-laws, but as it turned out they love it as much as we do.
Q: Favorite color?
Almost any shade of purple, with a particular affinity for magenta!
Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are some examples?
I really enjoy music and wish I could listen all day long, but after just a few minutes, I find myself getting distracted and frustrated with the “noise,” even when it’s a song I’d appreciate under different circumstances. I usually need quiet to be able to write at my best, although because I’ve spent so many years writing while other things were going on in the house, if the house is empty, which happens these days—no homeschooling children, my husband has returned to work (Yay!), and our youngest has recently flown the nest—it gets too quiet! J
Q: Coke or Pepsi? Of those two choices, coke! I live outside of Atlanta, which is where Coca-Cola was invented and marketed in the eighteen hundreds, and where its headquarters still is, so in the South, for many decades, when a server asked what you wanted to drink, Southerners would say coke, and then the server would ask, what kind of coke? Meaning Sprite, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. But with today’s transient society, I think most Southerners have been broken of that habit. Those servers who’d come to Georgia from other regions would look at us like we were stupid for saying we wanted a coke when we meant a sprite or something. Of course we knew why we had that habit J. It’s the real thing!
Q: Favorite season? I LOVE fall and spring most of all, but any season that doesn’t involve the dog days of summer refreshes me. I simply endure those dog days. But that’s because I live in the South, and, with few exceptions, I keep my windows open year round. In winter I look like snow skier while writing. I did this while growing up too. I’d open my windows year round and have to keep a towel wedged under my bedroom door so I wasn’t allowing cold air or heat into the rest of the house. I don’t feel truly alive unless I can see, hear, and feel the outdoors, even if the windows are only opened an inch or two in really cold or hot weather.
Q: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? When I’m under a tight deadline, which can last for six to eight weeks at a time, I sip on sweet tea, preferably Chick-fil-A sweet tea. The tea is delicious and the foam cups keeps the ice from easily melting, and condensation rarely forms on the outside of their cups, unlike all others—which is important when one gets a large glass in the morning and is still sipping on it at nearly midnight. J
