I believe that God allowed me to begin to work my way out of the valley through writing. Only this time, He wanted me to write books that glorified Him (and not just feed my own insatiable need for fame).
When I completed the manuscript, I managed to sign with an awesome agent and she placed the work with Whitaker House in just a few months.
See, my earlier works were all released through small presses. Overall sales were small. But, at the time, I was happy to be publishing at all.
The big difference is that for the first time, I’ve landed a large publisher. An awesome publisher, I might add. And I believe that this happened because I’ve changed from secular to Christian writing. I like to believe that God is blessing this new ministry I’ve undertaken, and that, perhaps, He is more pleased with my writing than He has been in the past.
The key, however, will still be visibility. Getting my name out there. There are so many talented suspense writers. Before, for me, it was about competition. Now, it’s not. It’s about spreading a message. Sharing my faith through my stories in some way. And I’ve talked with some great writers (James Scott Bell, Mark Mynheir, Eric Wilson) who have been nothing but supportive and helpful.
I want to be sure I answer the questions. There is a difference. It’s not about making money. Not this time around. Sure, I’d love to make my living writing full time. What writer wouldn’t? But I’m not consumed with that thought – the way I used to be.
And I think my latest works are some of the best stuff I’ve ever written. You always hear writers say things like, You have to write for you. That was the old me. Now, when I write it is for me, yes, but for others, as well. And although I guarantee my characters are flawed, and like real people, there will always be God’s presence in power, and love fit in between the pages. I didn’t have that before. Thankfully, I have that now.
How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?
Stream-of-consciousness, mostly. I don’t use an outline. I do map out some direction, but it is a vague map. Before I begin writing, I basically know the beginning, middle and end. It’s getting from point A to B to C that is the fun of the journey. I find that using an outline can restrict the process. However, I am always aware of drifting, too. Drifting is not so good, lol.
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