Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which is your favorite childhood memory?
I spent many summers visiting my Nanny after we immigrated to Canada. I love to think about the great memories of family and beautiful scenery. My favorite memory occurred each morning. As I lay in bed, I would awaken to the sound of a horse clopping down the cobblestones pulling the milkman on a wagon. The bottles clicked and clacked to the rhythm of the horse. They would stop at my Nanny’s gate and deliver two new bottles as he took away the used ones. Nanny would rush out to grab them before the birds could peck through the foil top to get to the cream on top. She would then store them under the dining table since she did not have a refrigerator. The simplicity makes me relax as I think back to those days.
What makes you passionate about prayer and missions?
I am passionate about prayer because I witnessed the power of it in my own life. The passion comes from the knowledge that God is with me and will help me no matter what is happening. The desire also helps me understand that sometimes the answer to prayer is “No” or “Not yet.”
My mission passion comes from going on mission trips. So many amazing things happen on a mission trip. As a friend once said, when you are on a mission trip, you need to rely on God entirely, even for the water you drink. Mission work shows me how I can be a part of God’s plan to help people.
Prayer and mission work well together, and you really can’t have one without the other. I am not sure which passion came first because they were so entwined in my life.
What made you decide to share stories of trusting the Lord?
How I decided to share these stories is funny. After years of going on mission trips, I started thinking I should write down all the stories of the incredible things I witnessed. I kept had this feeling, and I kept trying to ignore it because I was not a writer, and I thought maybe this was just my ego talking. Finally, one day I said a prayer asking God to show me if this idea was from Him. I asked God to use my husband to ask about writing a book if this was His idea. Nothing happened. About a month later, one evening, my husband looked at me and asked me how my book was coming along? I looked at him in disbelief because I had never mentioned it to him. I explained what happened, and he said that God must want me to write the book.
What are your hobbies apart from writing?
I love to travel, and I love to spend time with my children and grandchildren.
What inspired you to publish the book, Turning Mountains into Molehills?
I wanted to share the stories of seeing God in action. These stories came from my years of working in the mission fields and how God turned my son’s tragic death into a ministry to orphan children in faraway lands.
What challenges did you face while writing your book, Finding Faith Hope And Love In A Broken World?
When I write, I try to follow God’s prompting, and this book was no different. I think my biggest challenge was to make sure I was making the Bible study relevant to our times today. Many events in our society leave people feeling lost and alone, and I wanted to share the good news that there is a better way of living. Through faith, hope, and love in Christ, we can find a path to a better way of living.
What, in your opinion, are the most essential elements of good writing?
Practice, practice, and practice. I believe the more you write, the better you get at it. Even if you write something only for yourself, the repetition lets you hone your skills. That is why I blog weekly. It allows me to try new techniques and helps me see what works and what doesn’t. Also, attending conferences to learn more about the craft of writing has helped me over the years.
Are you friends with other authors? If so, how have they helped you in your journey as writer?
Yes, I follow and interact with other authors. Several of us share our blogs each week to help each other. I like to read what other Christian writers are writing to learn from them. I watch them see what subjects resonates with their readers to try to help in those areas.
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
I do not think so. I believe strong emotions make our writing better, even if the story is fiction. The sentiment is you want to entertain people. Readers experience our feelings through our writing.
If you could write about one topic for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The subject would always be God-centered but allows me lots of options to try my hand at different things. So far, my works have been nonfiction and about God in action. I love my subject matter because it offers so many ways to share information.
How much amount of research, if any, was done while writing your first book?
Since my first book was a memoir, the research was different. I kept journals during each mission trip, so I had to go back and read through them all again. That way, I could pick out the best stories to share. The journals also helped me remember some details that I had forgotten. My other books required Biblical-type research.
How do you think parents and teachers can develop an interest in reading in children?
Start reading to them from a young age. We read to our children every night, and my children do the same for their kids. I remember changing voices as I read to my children to make it fun for them too. Even if the child’s interest is in comic books, it is still reading, so encourage them.
What are your plans for the future as a writer? Are you working on anything new?
I am playing around with a few ideas. I would love to incorporate my travel experiences into a book but have figured out how best to do that while still including God in the mix. I even came up with a name, “Gypsy for God.” I am also playing around with the idea of a fiction book about encounters with angels. I have written a few thousand words towards it. If you are reading this interview, I would love your opinion on these ideas. I also write my weekly blogs. I write for the magazine “Faith on Every Corner” monthly, and I write for “Empowered Women Faith Club” every other month. I think writing for blogs or other publications helps me hone my skills as a writer.
How many plot ideas are just waiting to be written? Can you tell us about one?
So many ideas. I write poetry on the side, so I thought of making a poetry book but don’t have enough of them yet. I write a blog weekly, so I also thought about taking some of the most read ones and turn them into a devotional book.
How has your experience with AllAuthor been?
I enjoy being a part of AllAuthor. I watch and learn from the other members. I appreciate all they do to help get our works in front of readers. I recommend AllAuthor to any author.
