This giveaway is closed – winners announced

Thank you to all who entered…  🙂

Today I am very excited to interview the author of two great reads (a third in the making) and she is also a friend of mine who I have had the pleasure of working with, rollerblading, and talking with for hours .

Good morning Sarah!  Thank you so much for joining me here today at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books!  I had watched you work on your first book and had the pleasure of being one of your proof readers before it went in for the final ok to go to print.  I am wondering, when did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

Sarah: I don’t know if I can pinpoint an exact time when I decided I was going to be a writer.  I just know that I have always had a passion to write.  I remember when I was in elementary school, my teachers always had great things to say about the stories I wrote.  All my stories had inspirational meaning behind them.  Writing was the one thing I truly enjoyed when I was in school.  In college, I knew I wanted to some day write a book that would glorify God with the life He has given me.

Sarah: I started praying about what to write in 2004 and pursued writing in 2005.

Sarah:  In my prayer time, I felt like I needed to write on the passage of Scripture that has guided my life.  Psalm 37:3-6 has seen me through many hard times.  It was my compass when I was a little girl and has continued to be my road map throughout life.  The words in the book literally flowed from my heart through my fingers.  They were words that simply shared the experience I had known of God’s faithfulness in my life.  I had a few bumps in the road where the words didn’t quite flow, so I would stop.  I put the pen down until the fluidity of the message came back.

Sarah:  I had finished writing my book in about 6 months, but I still had a ways to go in the publishing end of it.  I looked at many different places.  All the publishers that are well known did not want to accept an unknown author.  That was understandable because you never know what book sales are going to be like for a new author, but I wasn’t accepting no for an answer.  I had looked at some of the self-publishing options, but didn’t like what I saw.  I wanted something that was going to invest in my talent.  I waited a few months and prayed for God to show me who to go through.

Sarah:  I was at church one Sunday and someone mentioned to me that there was this great top of the line self-publishing company called Tate Publishing.  The big thing was that they only accept less than 3% of the manuscripts they get a year.  I was excited about that because I knew if God wanted me to publish with them, it would all go through.  The manuscript was read by their board and I received a phone call letting me know it had been accepted.  I had to go through the same process for my second book.  They have been a wonderful company to work with because they partner with me every step of the way.  They have my best interest in mind.

Sarah:  The sales did very well and are continuing to do well.  I have a marketing representative from Tate Publishing who works with me to market the book in various avenues.  I did many book signings in book stores, coffee shops, retirement homes, malls, Bible studies, etc.  I was able to speak at a few women’s conferences and at a couple church services.  I have been able to speak to youth at different events.  I have a website and a blog to promote the book.  Also, I do a daily devotional online.  A lot of promoting comes through word of mouth.   The best marketing tool is yourself and others who have read your book.

Sarah:  The best way for me to answer this is to say that if you are looking to find the time to write you will never find it.  You simply need to designate time every day to write.  It needs to be something you want to do, not have to do.  If I lived each day trying to find time to write, I don’t think I would ever get anything written.  I have to discipline myself to set aside time to write, to study, and to learn.  Writing is one of my passions, so I choose to make it a part of my day.

Sarah:  I continue to call book stores for book signings and am willing to have them in even unconventional places.  Coffee shops are great and I’ve since learned that a book signing at Chick-fil-A can be very profitable.  There are two things I’m strongly promoting right now.  One is the devotional I write on a daily basis because it gives people a way to find out who I am and how I write before they buy an actual book.  I know I always like to know the authors I read.  Second I have been given an opportunity to get as many books as possible into Prison Ministry Fellowship.  This excites me greatly, as I write desiring to see people draw close to the Lord.  If anyone would like to support this ministry, please email me and let me know.  Every book donated will go to the prison for the inmates.

Sarah: Now, what kind of question is this?  It’s like asking a mom which child is her favorite.  I enjoy both my books for different reasons.  I love how the first book brings you through a journey of trusting in the Lord.  I enjoyed writing out the testimony of who God has been in my life and how He has always been faithful.  Then there is the second book.  This book I wrote during some major storms in my life based on my second favorite passage, Isaiah 40:31.  I was so encouraged by God through the writing of this book.  God continued to remind me that He had a plan and a purpose through the storms I faced.