Portrait of Writing Mom, Homeschooler, Faith, Writing, Interview

Tell us a little about your family and homeschool?

I have three children: Sophie (13), Aidan (10), and Julia (8). We currently don’t homeschool; however I did homeschool Sophie for kindergarten and first grade because, at that time, I didn’t feel comfortable with the school system.

How long have you been writing and what do you write?

I’ve been writing for 14 years. I started off as a newsletter designer and editor, then branched off into writing articles for magazines. Eventually I became a newspaper columnist. Four years ago, when Julia was in preschool, I got serious about my writing, wrote a book, went to my first major writing conference, and met my agent.

Tell us a little about your latest projects.

Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God released in 2005 with Harvest House Publishers. It’s a 60-day devotional for moms. I’ve heard it’s been featured at homeschool conventions. I wanted to write a devotional for thinking moms. I personally grew tired of fluffy writing for women.

Building the Christian Family You Never Had released January 2006 with WaterBrook Publishers. This is a book for those of us who don’t want to duplicate the homes we were raised in. It was a painfully hard book to write because I tell the story of my upbringing in it. The hero of the book is Jesus, who stooped low to rescue me, and set my feet upon a better foundation. By God’s grace, I am parenting differently than how I was parented.

Watching the Tree Limbs released March 2006 with NavPress. This is a novel about a young abandoned girl whose life spins out of control, and the long redemptive hand of God. Its sequel Wishing on Dandelions releases in September

Living abroad has to have its challenges. What are you doing all the way in France and how do you cope with raising kids in a foreign country?

It’s very hard. We put our children in French schools—a really hard decision. Homeschooling here has not been an option. We are trying to be legitimate to the French government as we plant a church. Homeschooling makes officials think we are in a cult. The kids cried a lot the first year (we’ve been here two years), but now that they are fluent and have made friends, it’s been worth the struggle. Just this year, my eldest led her avowed Atheistic friend to Jesus. And another girl is getting close. It’s been tremendous to watch.

Raising children in America is tough enough. How do you encourage yourself during those stormy days , especially in a foreign country?

Pray. Talk to good friends. Set limits on activities. Don’t overextend.

I’m still awed at how moms find the time to write really good books. In your life how do you balance it all?

It’s certainly not easy. When my kids were young, I wrote around their schedules, but I didn’t produce much. I spent a lot of time writing in obscurity, which, in the long run, has really enhanced my writing today. In those ten years of writing before publication, I honed my voice, made lots of mistakes, and also gained confidence. Now? I have a writing schedule. I write when my children are in school and try very hard (though at times, when I’m under deadline, I fail) to quit when they come home.

Is it even possible to give yourself fully to raising children, writing and keeping in shape, or do some things have to be neglected at times?

Of course, life is a crazy balance. One book that’s been particularly helpful to me is The Power of Full Engagement by Loehr and Schwartz. They speak about managing energy rather than time. It really helped me to understand the importance of rest, rhythm and taking time to refuel. Keeping in shape has really helped me cope with the loads of stress we have here in France (church planting, child rearing, writing full time, coping with the language and cultural differences). When I run in the mornings, I hear God’s voice.

Do you ever feel like you’re neglecting your children when you write?

Sure, there are times I feel that way. Sometimes that means I stop. Sometimes that means I explain. I have a life coach who helps me stay accountable to my schedule, particularly to my children, and I’ve given close friends and my husband permission to tell me when I’ve gotten too busy. One good thing, though, is that my children are my biggest cheerleaders. They celebrated when I landed an agent. They screamed when I got my first contract. They jumped up and down when my first book arrived in the mail. It’s been such a fun adventure, having them alongside me.

If you do feel your priorities slipping, what do you do to get back on track?

Pray. Repent. Reorganize. If necessary, ask forgiveness.

If you could do this parenting, writing thing all over again, what would you do differently?

I don’t know. I’m pretty thankful for my dear family who have supported me so well in this crazy dream of mine. The calling God has placed on my life is very strong (of course it takes second place to following Jesus and being a good wife and mother). I really feel these past few years have been guided by Jesus.

Has there ever been a time God told you to set aside your writing to focus on other areas of your life? If so, how did you handle that?

I’m taking a break this summer to regroup and refresh. I’m happy to do that. Though, I must say, I am happier when I write. I feel God’s smile when I do.

Did you ever feel like you’ve “missed” God in regards to writing, that maybe you should be doing something else? Removed homeschooling so I could answer

No. I am confident God has called me to do this.

How do you know when you’re in God’s will?

I have His peace. I have heard from many good, godly folks who have confirmed this calling on my life. I give others permission (particularly my prayer team) to let me know if I’ve strayed. Being a missionary to France is hard. Writing is hard. Being a mom is hard. But I know God has called me to do all three.

How do you position yourself to HEAR God’s voice when all the noises of life are swirling around you?

I get quiet. I hear Him when I run in the hills of Southern France (it’s surprisingly quiet here). I no longer watch much TV, so my day is quieter.

When do you find the time to write, and how do you handle interruptions in your writing life?

I have a writing schedule. I’ve learned to be kind when I’m interrupted and to gauge whether the interruption merits my attention or if it can be dealt with later.

How do you get back into the flow of writing after you’ve been interrupted?

Take a deep breath and go forward.

Tell me about how you got your first writing break.

I suppose it was meeting my agent at a writer’s conference. You can’t really sell a book to a publisher without an agent. When I went to the writer’s conference, I didn’t even know I needed an agent. So I didn’t really pursue one. But a few weeks after the conference, an agent from the premier Christian literary agencies in the states emailed me and said he wanted to agent me. Wow. I screamed. My kids hollered. My husband celebrated. From that point on, I’ve been writing books that have been published. I chalk it up to God’s sovereign hand.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?

When someone puts one of my novels down, I want them to long for more of Jesus and His healing redemption in their lives.

What advice would you give to writing moms?

Keep at it. Write when you can. Don’t despise laboring in obscurity. It’s a time for you to hone your voice, to learn the craft of writing.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Pray for our family as we plant a church in Southern France. It’s a difficult place to plant a church and there’s a lot of spiritual warfare.

Thank you so much for stopping by! May God bless you as you write, raise your children and pursue His calling in your life.

For more from this author visit
www.relevantblog.blogspot.com
www.pioneerparenting.blogspot.com
www.relevantprose.com