Gwen Faulkenberry: Author Interview and Book Giveaway

This is a super-busy week because I’m heading to the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference on Thursday. I’ll be teaching a couple of workshops, hanging out with some of my writer/editor friends, and hopefully petting a banana slug.

To get everyone in the writing mood (since you will be hearing all about the conference from me, I’m sure) I’m excited about hosting an author interview AND a giveaway of two books.

 

Gwen Faulkenberry and I have known each other for about ten years. I had the delight of working with her at DaySpring and then staying in touch as a friend and fellow writer. She has recently published two books with Summerside Press, A Beautiful Life: Devotions for a Woman’s Heart and a Christian romance novel Love Finds You in Romeo, Colorado. 

 

I asked Gwen a few questions about her life and writing so you can get to know her a little too…

 

Tell us a little bit about you and your family.   I am 37 years old, and have been married 15 years to Stone, the best guy on the planet.  We have three great kids, Grace, 8, Harper, 6, and Adelaide, 2.  I am mostly a stay-home mom, but I also teach English part-time at Arkansas Tech-Ozark, a college near my home, and write cards for DaySpring. 

 

What is the first thing you ever remember writing?  I wrote stories that my fourth grade teacher "published" and put on her class bookshelves.  The other kids would check them out and read them during reading time.

 

You’ve written both fiction and non-fiction, how are they different?  (This is a hard question for me to answer.  I've typed in several different answers so far and they all sound stupid.)  For me, so far, the non-fiction has been a lot easier.  I'm not saying I think non-fiction is easier to write in general, but just that in my experience with these two books, the devotional was by far the easiest.  One reason for that, I'm sure, is that it was about 1/3 the size of the novel. 

 

But also, it's just pretty natural for me to get excited about beautiful people and share things the Lord is doing in my own life.  The stories and reflections sort of just gushed out, like I couldn't type fast enough.  When I got done I had tons of things left to say; it was like a casual, fun conversation with readers that I didn't want to end.

 

My novel was totally the opposite.  I felt just as annointed for the work, but it was painstaking.  I labored over single words and phrases.  I wanted it to be a literary masterpiece that would entertain and people and also challenge them spiritually, conveying the redemptive power of God's love.  I loved writing it, but I was so glad when I was finished!

 

What inspires you? Good music, good books, teaching, nature, listening to the stories of people around me, anything beautiful.

 

You’re busy raising three kids—how do you find time to write?  I have a wonderful support system.  My parents are retired, and my sister-in-law stays home with her kids.  They help me a lot with childcare.  And my husband is amazing.  I also don't sleep much.

 

If you could tell other women who want to be published one thing, what would it be?  I suppose it should be easy to give a pat answer here, but I don't have one big statement to make.  My own journey to publishing success has been something I never could have predicted. 

 

I believe what's most important is to trust the Lord.  Don't strive.  Move in His peace and don't try to force anything.  Do your best at whatever place in life He has you.  Work hard at the craft of writing.  Listen and learn.  Get help from people who know what they're doing, and follow their advice. 

 

Be willing to not be published if it's God's will.  At the same time, if you know it's a dream He's placed in your heart, don't give up on it. I've come to believe great writing will find its way into the marketplace, even if it takes a long time.

 

     

What is one of your “beautiful anomalies”?   Although this is definitely not something I see as beautiful, I know God doesn't see the way we see.  Your blog post reminds me of that, Holley, and I thank you for it.  I believe I am cursed by a genetic propensity to gain weight. 

 

My husband can eat a mixing bowl full of granola every morning, topped off with a pound of bacon and a three-egg, four-cheese omelette, and not gain an ounce.  On the other hand, if I eat more than a grape for breakfast without walking it off before lunch, I am apt to go up a dress size.  Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but it's close.

 

What has God taught you through the writing process?  He has taught me that He's a lot smarter than I am, and that He is big enough to do anything He wants, whenever He decides. His resources are not limited and He really doesn't need my help making things happen.  My part is to do my work faithfully, in quietness and trust, which of course I'm not always good at.  But, He doesn't seem to hold that against me. In fact, I believe He likes me anyway and keeps leading me onward and upward! 

 

Gwen graciously gave me two signed copies of A Beautiful Life to share with you! To be entered to win one, leave a comment telling us a book you've enjoyed reading lately. The random number generator will pick the comments and I'll announce them first thing Thursday morning before I head to California.

 

If you'd like to get copies of Gwen's books, they're available online and in stores,including LifeWay.

Where's God When It Rains?

From Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times

A few years ago, I read the book Captivating by Stasi Eldridge. In one part she challenges women to ask God how He’s showing them His love.

I was at the beginning of my storm during that time but still far enough into it to feel a bit abandoned. So I initially balked at the question.

Finally, with a sigh, I silently asked, “Lord, how in the world are You showing me You love me right now?”

In an instant the answer came. I gently sensed God say to my heart, “I’m walking through the rain with you and I’m giving you my umbrella.”

My mind flashed back to a day in college when an unexpected storm swept in while I was in class. I dreaded the long trek home. As I exited my classroom, I couldn’t believe what I saw. My boyfriend Mark (who is now my husband) stood waiting for me with a smile on his face and an umbrella in his hand. He had come to walk me through the rain. It’s still one of the sweetest and most loving things anyone has ever done for me.

Of course, the best part of the walk home that day was staying right beside Mark. Umbrellas aren’t very big and the closer you get, the drier you stay. It’s the same way with God.

I know what’s it’s like to want to run away into the rain as fast as you can. I’ve done exactly that many times. But the sweetest moments in my journey have come when I’ve chosen to stay under God’s umbrella and let Him wrap His loving arms around me. 

Being under God’s umbrella still isn’t like a walk in the park on a sunny day. But there’s an intimacy to it that we may look back on with longing one day. We’ve all heard people say, “I’m glad that time in my life is over…but I sometimes miss how close I felt to God.”

God is waiting outside the door of your heart to walk you through the rain. This may not be what you would have chosen but it will be a journey you’ll always remember.

Read

After a time of great difficulty, God tells His chosen people that He will bless them with His presence and, “It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.” ISAIAH 4:6 NIV

Reflect

How is God showing you his love right now?

What do you think God is saying to your heart today?

Are you choosing to stay under God’s umbrella or running into the storm? Why?

 

Respond

Lord, thank You for Your love. Sometimes it’s hard to see in the midst of all this rain. I pray You will show me how You’re taking care of me today. I especially need You to___________________. Amen.

 

You can use my friends and family discount code, RAINON20, for an additional 20% off the book and everything else you order from DaySpring.com by April 1.

 

Winners and Whiners

I'm excited to anounce that we have three winners and one whiner! Let's start with the winners.

Thanks to all of you who entered the journal giveaway. The random number generator came up with comments 2, 41, and 43. Here they are...

My blessing today is I will not have to miss work, have another surgery and only need to go to physical therapy for my knee!! WOO HOO. I loved this blog entry because I too tend to lean towards the negative. My mind races through all the things that could go wrong. God is teaching me how to slow down and listen, to "Be still." Blessings ~ Angela

My blessing for today was a phone call from my mom. We live only 25 minutes from each other and we talk every day but today I realized how lucky I am to have her in my life. She's always been one of my best friends. SusanB

Well.... since I haven't officially said anything on my blog yet, let's just say I got some REALLY good news today that counts as a huge blessing ;) At the risk of sounding irreverent, God "knocked my socks off" today. Mrs. H

Congratulations, ladies! Look for another giveaway coming next week!

Now let's talk about the one whiner. Don't worry, it's not you. It's me. Yesterday I was in a funk. You know the kind. You're just going along through life and then out of nowhere "Wham!" the moody blues hit and everything turns upside down for a bit.

In my case it was brought on by 1) exhaustion 2) not enough exercise 3) too much alone time (I'm an introvert but you can still have too much of a good thing) 4) the weather 5) eating too much sugar, oh, and a bunch of other stuff.

Today I feel much better. But I wrote this little prosey-poemy thing yesterday and I wanted to share it anyway. Warning: it feels a bit "junior high girl writing in her notebook" but I suppose even grown-up writers are allowed to revert now and then. 

p.s. If you're my rlf (real life friend) please don't yell at me for not telling you I had a bad day. It was weird, I didn't know what to say, and now I'm okay. And yes, I'm also stubborn and independent. I'm working on it--promise.

Funky blue…

deep and wide

as the ocean.

I visit you occasionally,

like an unwelcome vacation.

You are the opposite of R&R—

instead you drain me, low,

like an emotional funnel

leading to who knows where.

I resist you, silly thing,

and tell you that you aren’t real—

an imaginary friend I can wave away

with a nap, cup of coffee, piece of chocolate.

But you remain, drawing me in,

asking me to sit on your shores

to turn my back on the world

and everything, everyone in it.

I will not give in to you.

You want me, I know,

want me so fiercely I can feel it.

But you can’t have me.

No, I belong to the King,

and His unending love is

Crystal blue…

deeper and wider

than the ocean.

Anyone else out there ever visited my funky blue friend?

7 Steps to a Quick, Easy, and Inspiring Journal

  

I have a confession to make. (By the way, it seems like I confess to you a lot, doesn't it? When I started this blog I had no idea there was so much I needed to get off my chest.) Anyway, here it goes: I'm a writer who doesn't keep a real, live, after-I-die-they'll-publish-it journal. Nope, haven't done that since I was a freshman in college. And I hope no one ever finds that one. I may burn it. But that's another story.

My journaling consists of three things: me, my trusty laptop, and bullet points. Did you just cringe? Stay with me, it's going to get better. I began this type of journaling a little over two years ago. Before then I had tried to keep a journal but somehow it never became consistent and included a lot of whining.

One day it seemed as if God put the idea in my heart to start keeping a "good things" journal. This journal would include little blessings, encouraging words people shared with me, and other ways He showed His love in my life every day.

So I did it. At first it felt awkward. I felt prideful and a bit cheesy. But over time it started to rock my world because it made me realize how much I dwell on the negative. I would sit down at my keyboard and think, "What a rough day!" Then by the end of the journaling, I would realize four or five really amazing things happened.

I often tell my counseling clients that our minds are like cars. If you let go of the steering wheel in your car, it will naturally drift in one way or another. We're like that too. I think we all have a natural tendency to drift either toward being negative or positive.

I, my friends, tend to drift toward the negative. Because of that it's really important for me to do things, like my journal, that are the equivalent of me taking back the wheel. Well, it's really Jesus taking the wheel. (And we all know that song. Sing it with me now.)

Here's my 7-step guide to doing your very own "good things" journal:

1) Choose a time to journal each day. I do mine right before bed. You only need five to ten minutes. If you miss a day (or three), give yourself grace. 

2) Sit down in a quiet place with your journal or laptop. I prefer a laptop but I do still have zillions of paper journals just because they make me happy.

3) Ask God to help you see through His eyes. Then start mentally digging through your day from beginning to end like a treasure hunter.

4) When something comes to mind, write one or two sentences about it in your journal. For example, "I had lunch with my dear friend and we laughed so hard we almost fell out of our chairs, Thank you, God, for the gift of frienship."

5) If someone has spoken or written encouraging words to you that day, record those in your journal too.

6) Include short prayers (see #4) expressing gratitude.

7) Reread often, especially on hard days.

That's it, dear readers. I did mine the first year with a bit of reluctance. But when I sat down and reread it on January 1st of the following year, I was really hooked. I had forgotten about 80% of the blessings in my life and I knew I'd probably do it again unless I kept going. You probably are more spiritual than I am and would never do such a thing.

AND I believe in this whole idea so much that to help you get started I'm doing a giveaway. Yeah, for giveaways! This is a Sassy & Sophisticated journal I helped create and I love it...

  

The cover says, "She lives. She loves. She laughs." Each page inside includes a Scripture.

To be entered, please leave a comment sharing one blessing in your life today. Three (yes, three!) winners will be announced on Friday and our friend the random number generator will decide which comments get the journal. If you're a subscriber, please remember to go to the site and post your comment rather than replying to the e-mail.

All of you are going in my good things journal today because getting to know you through this blog has been wonderful. I love hearing your hearts, learning from you, and laughing with you too.

Happy writing!

Sweet Humble Pie: Christian Book Expo 2009

On my way down to Christian Book Expo in Dallas I felt giddy with excitement. I imagined writing this cool post for you about all the people I met, the stories I heard while I signed my book, and the amazing cheesecake I had. The only part that came true was the cheesecake. And it was good, my friends, very good. I felt like eating the whole thing after my signing on Saturday when only one person came to the booth. Yes, one. Uno.

This was slightly less depressing because it happened to everyone else too. The show felt like this surreal version of the writer red carpet. “Famous” authors like Elizabeth George and Sheila Walsh didn’t even have long lines. You could walk right up and talk to them. I wandered around poking my husband and saying, “There’s Max Lucado” and “There’s Michelle McKinney Hammond.” They were just strolling by like we were in the mall on a Saturday. A somewhat empty mall, mind you. To be fair, it was the first year for the show and spring break week so that certainly influenced attendance.

(And I need to stop here to say that my publisher, Summerside Press, was amazing. They took all of the writers out to tea at a cool little café. The booth looked good and a lot of people stopped at ours compared to other places. So I don’t in any way want to imply that it was them. And they’re new so a lot of what I’m about to share doesn’t apply to them like it does to me. Now that I’m pretty sure they won’t burn my book, I’ll continue.)

I’ve been around the Christian publishing industry for as long as I can remember. My grandparents had a Christian bookstore. I listened to Petra and Carmen demo tapes. I had a key chain that said something like, “I love Amy Grant.” I carried stacks of books into the back room and spent hours curled up in an old, worn recliner. It was there I decided I would one day be a Christian writer.

I grew up and became an intern for DaySpring at the ripe old age of nineteen. I’ve pretty much been there ever since, gradually moving to the role of editorial director. I’ve gone to many CBA (Christian Booksellers Association) shows through the years. The floor used to bustle with activity and feel alive with a powerful, transformational energy.

In contrast, at one point this weekend I walked by a very traditional-looking booth. A man with silver hair and a grey suit was behind the counter sleeping. I’m not in marketing but I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to sleep in your booth. I wish I could have taken a picture because it became one icon of my experience. I’m afraid there's something about our industry that may simply be falling asleep. 

My dear friend Jason got me a signed copy of Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (he didn’t have a long line either, despite the fact that his book has sold over a million copies). I devoured it on the way home and it felt so different than the show. It was gritty, and real, and raw. He talked about many different things but what stood out most to me was his idea that we are “self-addicted.” We make the mistake of believing that life, and faith, and what we do is about us.

But it’s not and it never has been. It’s about God and loving other people. What struck me most about the show this weekend is that it seemed we all just expected people to come to us. We set up our booths, put out our books, and waited. We all looked nice, were ready with our pretty pens, and somehow felt like that should be enough. It seemed reasonable to me.

Yet on the way home I had a nagging sense that this was very different than what God did for us. He came to us. He, the God of the Universe, who had every right to expect us to make the move also knew us well enough to see that’s just not how human nature works. And instead of complaining about it, He got messy, dirty, and crucified so we could be in relationship with Him.

To my fellow members of the Christian publishing community: perhaps it is time we become even more intentional about doing the same. In some aspects, we've lived fairly comfortably, safely, easily. But it could be our moment to reach out in new ways, bare our hearts, open our lives, meet people where they are and stop expecting them to come to us. If we do not, I'm afraid we risk being irrelevant.

And I want to apologize to you, dear readers, for the times when I have been part of the problem. There have been moments, and this is difficult for me to admit, that my writing has been more about me than you. I’ve written to feel accepted. I’ve written to feel loved. I’ve written to soothe my insecurity. And that is wrong. This gift I’ve been entrusted with is not for me. It’s for the Kingdom and for you—always. Will you please forgive me?

In return, here’s my promise to you: I will not fall asleep in my booth. I will not stay safe. I will be messy, authentic, and desperately in need of grace. And I will come to you. Because that’s what Jesus did. That’s what He still does. I believed that was true as a little girl in the back room of a bookstore, waiting to grow up and change the world.

I still believe it now.   

 

Giveaway Winner and "Found it!" Friday

Thank you for all of your wonderful responses to the travel mug giveaway! I loved hearing the different ways you deal with busy days. If you haven’t read all of the comments yet, I hope you’ll take a moment to do so. You ladies (and a few brave guys) are amazing!

I used our dear friend the random number generator and the official winner is comment #42:

When I'm too busy to think straight, I tell everyone in the house that I need 5 minutes of alone time. Then I go into the bedroom and go to my knees to pray. I then start listing all the things that I have to be thankful for, and before I know it, all seems calmer. Somehow just remembering all of my blessing seems to take care of the frazzle of the day.

Cindy, you can now add a new travel mug to your list. Let's congratulate her!

 

I’m heading to Christian Book Expo in Dallas for the weekend. If any of you will be there, please let me know! I’m seeing some dear friends, doing a book signing, and of course, working in the real priorities (aka shopping and eating). I'm sure I will do something ridiculous before the weekend is over and I promise to tell you all about it on Monday.

 

This week I discovered a couple of fun new blogs with the word “coffee” in their titles. In honor of the travel mug giveaway, I’m passing them along to you. (It’s also insanely early for me to be up and I’m not a morning person so coffee is definitely on my mind at the moment.)

Sip. Savor. Share…

 

Under Grace & Over Coffee: I Take My Coffee with Milk, Sugar and the Joy of Knowing Jesus

 

Like a Warm Cup of Coffee: A Place to Curl Up and Begin Your Day

 

(And I’m throwing one with chocolate in just because I like the two together in real life too--any time of day. In fact, I may go have a piece right now.)

 

Stop and Smell the Chocolates

 

Enjoy!

Busy Day Giveaway

Hello Dear Readers! Thanks so much for all of your kind comments about my book signing mishaps. I appreciate you and love you for all the grace you give me--I need it!

I'm starting a busy day, and I'm sure you are too. So I've decided to do a fun little giveaway of this travel mug (we are on-the-go girls, after all, even when we're at home).

 

The mug includes the verse, "I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). And it comes with a handy little lid too.

To be entered, just leave a comment sharing one thing that helps you when life is really busy. Teach me, ladies, teach me!

The winner will be announced on Friday.

Book Signing Confessional

Yesterday I had the very first signing for my new book—Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times. The signing was at my church = less scary. But my church is BIG = more scary. Mark and I were there for all five services.

You will be proud to know that I did not walk into the men’s bathroom during any of them. 

I did, however, manage to do some other craziness.

The hardest part about a book signing is the beginning. The church made a video to play in the services telling everyone about the book. But before they showed it no one had any idea who I was or why I was in the foyer grinning like a fool.

At one point a woman approached the booth looking eager. I lit up and leaned across the counter. She dug in her pocket. “Yes,” I thought, “My very first customer.” She pulled out a wad of cash the likes of which I have never seen.  It must have been four inches thick. “I bet this has never happened to Max Lucado,” I humbly reflected.

Then, as if in slow motion, my husband reached out and took the entire stack of cash. He nodded and said to the woman, “Thanks for getting fifty one dollar bills for us so we can make change.” My book-signing fantasy went right up in a little puff of ego.

But I wasn’t too concerned because I still had a back-up plan for getting people to come to the booth. In my twisted little mind I had a theory that went like this, “No one knows who I am (besides my ever-faithful friends and Jesus) and no one has ever heard of my book (except my relatives and Jesus).

But every woman loves chocolate. So I will put Dove milk chocolate eggs that coordinate with the book cover (yes, they really did) on the counter in little glass bowls so people will come over here.” If that sounds a bit like bribery to you then here’s what I’ve got to say about that, “You are very perceptive.”

I also decided I needed to make my little booth look pretty. I bought a vase of red tulips and as I was putting them in the water, I broke one in half. Yep, just like that—snap, snap—and my lovely tulip went from stately to stumpy.

Not to be deterred, I taped it back together and shoved it down in the middle. It never quite stood tall like the rest. At one point a little girl asked, “What’s wrong with that one?” I said, “It needs hope and encouragement.”

As for the actual signing of the books, I felt clueless the entire time. I didn’t know what to say, which page I should write on, or what kind of pen to use. I was also paranoid that I would spell a name wrong. Someone would say, “Please sign it to Pat.” And I would ask, “How do you spell that?” Then they would look suspiciously at me as if asking themselves, “Did she really write a book?”

In the end, I did spell a name wrong. But it was not Pat. It was Holley. Oh, yes, my friends. Upon reflection, I’m fairly certain I spelled my own name incorrectly once. So if you’ve got a book and my first name is missing an “e” then see me for a refund. Or sell it on eBay. Whatever works for you.

People were truly very gracious and kind. The best part of the day was talking to them and hearing their stories. It was wonderful and humbling to know where my little book is going. I kept inwardly repeating one of my favorite prayers, “Oh, Lord, please use me in spite of me.”

I’d like to conclude my little confessional by thanking Mark, my banker and husband, for keeping me focused and not letting me do math. Thank you to our dear friends who came and helped. And thank you to my wonderful church for all the support.

And finally, I’d also like to thank all of you amazing readers who know my quirks and keep coming back here anyway—even without the chocolate.   

 

"Found it!" Friday

I've stopped by some wonderful blogs recently and I wanted to share a few with you...

Girlfriendology - I've mentioned this one before but just had to again since we've been talking about friendship all week! I met founder Debba Haupert at Blissdom this year.

Becoming Me - I think you'll fall in love instantly with this sweet writer who shares her everyday life with authenticity, kindness, and faith.

Grace Violet - Confession #1: I am not crafty. I probably should wear a warning label that says, "Do not, under any circumstances, give this woman a hot glue gun." But this blog is so wonderful that it makes me feel happy just lurking as a crafter wanna-be.

Nesting Place - Confession #2: I can't decorate worth a flip. Choosing picture frames makes me hyperventilate. That's why I love the tag line of this blog: "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful."

The Queen B - Another tag line I love: "My crown is always crooked." After I left a comment, we discovered we only live a few miles apart. Sweet, small world.

I hope you have fun going on a little bloggy scavenger hunt this weekend! If you have a blog we should know about (yours or one you love to visit) please share it with us...

And the giveaway goes to...

Thank you to all of you who participated in the Girlfriends Giveaway this week! I loved reading your responses and was so touched by your amazing friendships.

I used the random number generator (yes, it's real--I promise) to choose the winning comment and it is...

I would definitely share with my friend Jena - such a wonderful friend and fellow prayer warrior. I am so thankful for the many friends I have! This weekend I'm going to a youth group reunion - seeing friends I went on youth trips with, sang in youth choir, did skits, and grew in the Lord with. Such great memories and I'm very thankful to reconnect with them! -- Laurie

Congratulations to Laurie! I'll be sending two journals and mugs her way soon. She's a new reader and she found us through another site I love, Annie Blogs. I met Annie at Blissdom and it was friendship at first sight. She's actually doing a giveaway of my book on her blog this week (that's how Laurie found my blog--it's all a big, happy circle). For a shot at winning the book just visit Annie's blog, scroll down to her post from Tuesday, and leave a comment by midnight tonight!