Fall into Love: Morgan's story

From Coffee Date to Wedding Day: The Story of Morgan and Steven Smith
A Fall into Love story written by Morgan Tarpley Smith

To think it all began with coffee…Well, it really began long before that because God knew our path. I thought I’d be single forever. I was okay if that was His plan. None of this was a surprise to Him, though it has certainly been one for us. It’s been a long journey with moments of joy and sorrow, regret and forgiveness to lead us to the day Steven and I had coffee as acquaintances in December 2013.

That year was one of huge growth for us. God spoke to our hearts in different ways – yet also in the same regarding romantic relationships. We reached a place of true contentment in Him alone. We allowed God to fill the void we tried to fill with dating and other pursuits, and it was incredible! God’s plan was always in action, but it took our surrender and release for us to follow it – which led to Facebook actually.

I’d added Steven on Facebook earlier that year after his Mom told me he would spend six months in Wales, and I definitely wanted to see his travels there. I commented on pictures, and we struck up a brief but witty conversation, which led to coffee when he returned. I prayed that the Lord wouldn’t let me make more out of it than it was – two people meeting for coffee. No pressure, no expectations. Only friends.

So I thought everything was fine, but Steven was so handsome and kind, and I had to be still my heart and keep myself in check. I sat there as if I wasn’t nervous and started asking about Wales. I was pleased that he wasn’t hesitant to talk about it all and much more. We talked for over four hours and right through dinner!

He seemed to enjoy the visit. But, honestly, I was more interested to know if he was as interested in me as I was with him. I couldn’t help it! It only took 15 minutes for me to want him to ask me out! But he was so collected (I thought …) that I was sure he didn’t feel the connection.

The coffee shop closed, but I didn’t want the night to end. He casually said he enjoyed meeting, and we should do it again sometime. I was like “Nope, he’s not interested.” Unknown to me though, a different story was unfolding.

Three days later, he asked me out. Our first date was January 3, 2014, and I knew 10 days from our first coffee that he was the man I would marry. It involved Pinterest oddly enough. I felt God urging me to start planning our wedding (After all, he’s the one who created my planner’s heart.), so I made a secret wedding board and got after it. Steven asked me to be his girlfriend the next day with the intent to pursue marriage, and we were engaged on April 19, and then married in November. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I thank God every day for the blessing of bringing Steven and I together and for loving us enough to bless us with our marriage of nearly three years (and the gift of our first child due February 2018) as an example of his love for his bride (the church/believers). I don’t know how to properly express how important and worthwhile that waiting on and following God’s plan is for everything in our lives. It’s the best thing I have done and ever will do. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways and He will guide you on the right paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6

“For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

And I’d like to encourage everyone – no matter where you are in life – don’t give in to your own plans. Turn to the Lord and let His joy and peace fill your life and guide your steps, and you will find yourself on the most unforgettable journey you could ever imagine.

~*~
Author bio:  

Morgan Tarpley Smith is an award-winning newspaper reporter and photographer in Louisiana. 

She is also an inspirational adult and middle-grade novelist. Besides writing and traveling to over a dozen countries, her interests include acting, genealogy, photography, and singing. 

She resides in Louisiana with her husband and is expecting their first child in 2018.


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Connect with Morgan:
Website - www.morgantarpleysmith.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/morgan.tarpley.5
Twitter - https://twitter.com/writerchic86
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/writerchic86/
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4751242-morgan-tarpley-smith

Summer Love: Why Gail Wrote the story, "Poppy Fields With You"

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Beauty, Brains and Poppy Fields
A personal essay by Gail Gaymer Martin

Poppies are the state flower of California, and the book was to be part of a series on state flowers. Even more than that, I love the Monterey area where the story is set and have written other novels set in Pacific Grove which it happens is known for its poppy fields. It is beautiful there and is a place I’ve visited numerous times since I have family living in the area.

Along with the theme, I needed a story and the idea for Poppy Fields With You came to mind. I wanted to do an unexpected romance, sort of a second chance story, but also one that covered an issue in many people’s lives and that is having a misguided concept of who they are and what they’re worth. I happen to be a counselor by trade and worked in the field for 23 years. People who feel they have nothing to offer or lack self-worth is not uncommon. I worked with many people who grew up with misconceptions of their value due to a variety of things, often based on comments they heard or learned as a child.

In the novel, Jill is told that she’s very much like her mother. This devastates her because her mother had a flaw that had hurt Jill deeply, and she assumed that this was the way she was like her mother. She overlooked the good qualities her mother had and geared her life around avoiding anyway she might fall into her mother’s trap. But this is something that can happen to anyone.

My sister and I are good examples of this phenomena. We had wonderful parents who always wanted to provide positive messages. My sister always envied that I was the oldest and had many opportunities that she didn’t have, and I looked at my cute sister and envied her looks. One day our mother, trying to soothe us said, “Jan, Gail is smart, but you’re very cute.” Immediately my sister and I took those comments and twisted them to our understanding. To me, my mother was saying that I was smart but ugly. My sister heard, she was cute but stupid. This is far from the truth, but for many years that silent stigma lingered in our heads.

I am grateful that with growth, education and common sense those misguided statements are gone. My sister still doesn’t think she’s as talented as I am since I’ve been a successful writer, but she has many talents that I don’t have and I admire them. I finally looked into a mirror and knew that I wasn’t ugly and yes, I wasn’t cute, but I had good physical attributes that I’ve heard from others through the years and I have some not so great, but that’s okay. I know who I am now, and I accept my looks as they are.

Sadly, many people have heard derogatory comments about them, especially from those who have been bullied by others as well as members, and have never recovered or learned to step back and seek reality. I find this sad and hope that as we all mature, we can look at the truth and really see it. I’m glad that Jill learned the truth and was able to change her life for the better.

~*~
Author bio: 

Multi-award-winning novelist Gail Gaymer Martin is the author of Christian contemporary romance, romantic suspense, women's fiction and sweet romances. She has 77 published novels or novellas and over 4 million books sold. 

Her novels have received several national awards, including the ACFW Carol Award and RT Reviewers Choice Award. CBS local news listed Gail as one of the four best writers in the Detroit area. She is the author of Writer Digest’s Writing the Christian Romance and a co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She is a member of Advanced Speakers and Writers (AWSA). 

Gail is a keynote speaker at churches, civic and business organizations. In her earlier career, Gail was a teacher of English, literature and public speaking at high school and university levels and still enjoys teaching workshop at conferences across the U.S. Though living most of her life in Michigan, Gail now lives in Arizona with her husband.

~*~
Blurb for Poppy Fields with You: Jill Noodan’s life changes when her best friend, Jack Dodd, appears in her life after many years. 

They had been inseparable until Jack’s high school graduation when he moved on to education and a career in Los Angeles while Jill remained in Pacific Grove, not wanting to leave her father, abandoned by his wife. 

Being told how much she was like her mother, Jill has avoided relationships other than her deep friendship with Jack. His return now brings back memories of fun-filled days with someone she trusted and stirs feelings she’s never felt before. Jack realizes that Jill has been the model for the woman he could never find to love. 

But the past is strong, and will the fear of losing their perfect friendship stands in their way of falling in love?  

~*~
Buy Gail's book on Amazon

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Connect with Gail:
Website - www.gailgaymermartin.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/gail.g.martin.3
Twitter - https://twitter.com/gailgmartin/
GoodReads - http://bit.ly/1e8Gt6D
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/gailgaymermartin

~*~

Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Love is in the Air: Love Doesn't Make the World Go Around, God Does

Inspirational Romance Novelist Shannon Taylor Vannatter is here today as part of a blog tour where she will share details on her newest novel Rodeo Reunion (released June 1) and offer you a chance to win a copy of her book! 

Please pay attention to the book giveaway details in this message from the author Shannon: Here’s something special to commemorate the Heartsong Presents line since it’s ending this month. Comment to enter the drawing for a copy of Rodeo Reunion. Ten copies will be split among names drawn during the blog tour from June 1st – July 1st. One winner will receive a baseball themed memory board personally crafted by the author. Winners will be revealed on the author’s blog on July 22nd. 

Let's be clear (a note from Alexis): Shannon is doing a blog tour where she's a guest on 14 different blogs, including God is Love. The list of all the stops on the blog tour is found toward the end of this post http://bit.ly/1QPYgAQ on Shannon's blog. After the blog tour is over on July 1st, Shannon will choose 10 individual winners from all 14 of her guest posts on all of the blogs she visited. She will also select a winner for the memory board pictured below:

Shannon will post a list of all the winners on her blog by July 22. She will contact the hosts of the blog tour to get addresses for winners.  So please remember to include your e-mail address when you leave your comment at the end of today's guest post here on my blog God is Love.

Got it? Sounds fun, right?

Now onto Shannon's guest post here on my blog where she shares why she loves writing romance novels. Shannon will also educate us as to why God, not love makes the world go around! :)

Remember to leave your comment and e-mail address at the end of this guest post.

~*~
Love Doesn't Make the World Go Around, God Does
A guest post written by Shannon Vannatter

When I was a teen, my mom checked out clean romances from the library for me. I lived each romance vicariously through the heroine and fell in love with each hero. So in 1999, when I finally realized that story playing in my head was a book, of course it was a romance. I set out to write a clean romance, but as I wrote, my characters kept talking to God and I let them.

After I finished the book and started trying to find a publisher, I realized there was a Christian Romance genre, which was in its infancy then. Once I knew there was a market for what I’d written, there was no stopping me. Though it took me almost ten years to get published.

My critique partner says writing is like playing paper dolls on paper. I was a Barbie girl myself, so I prefer playing Barbie’s on paper. It’s a lot of fun to make characters do what I want them to. In real life, people often ask for advice, but they don’t follow it. In my fictional world, I get to control characters and force them to follow my guidance. And voila, their lives turn out great.

I try to wrap life lessons in my fictional tales since women often think that life will be perfect if they can just meet Mr. Right or Mr. Right Now, that love makes the world go round. I write Christian romance to show that love doesn’t make the world go round, God does. Only with a commitment to Christ and putting Him first in everything, can we expect love to withstand the trials of this world.

I also think Christian Romance novels are a great witnessing tool. Hand a non-believer a Bible and they probably won’t read it. But if they’re a romance reader and you hand them a Christian Romance, they might. In the weaving of my story, my character’s journey, triumphs and trials, I try to show a better life is possible. A life based on God.

So with each story I write, I hope to steer young girls to get things right with God and don’t settle for a non-believer, entertain Christian women and deepen their walk with Christ, and give them a great witnessing tool to pass on to non-believing friends.

~*~
Author bio: Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. She lives in a town with a population of around 100, if you count a few cows and once climbed a mountain wearing gold wedge-heeled sandals which became known as her hiking boots. Vannatter won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award in the short contemporary category, The 18th Annual Heartsong Awards 3rd Favorite New Author and #1 Contemporary Award. 

She has ten published titles and is contracted for five more. Her books are available at christianbook.com, barnesandnoble.com, Amazon.com, harlequin.com, and barbourbooks.com.

~*~
Book blurb for Rodeo Reunion:

RAQUEL MARRIS NEEDS A MAN WHO'LL STAY PUT

And Slade Walker's not a likely candidate. Even if the former major league pitcher just agreed to coach her son's little league team. The single mom can't risk everything on a bronc-riding chaplain who's only passing through Raquel's small Texas town.

Slade is taking a hiatus from the rodeo circuit to meet the sister he never knew he had. But the pretty widowed nurse next door is making him think twice about hitting the road again. He can't turn his back on the cowboys who need him, but Raquel and her boy need him, too. Can Slade fulfill his calling and finally find a place to hang his hat?

~*~
Buy Shannon's book:
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1dze0vz
Barnes and Noble - http://bit.ly/1B5R0zs
Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1IxoCG1

~*~
Connect with Shannon:

Real Life Romance blog - http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/

Facebook - http://facebook.com/shannontaylorvannatter
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29672798-shannon-vannatter,
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/stvannatter/
Twitter - @stvauthor

Website - http://shannonvannatter.com

Author interview: Jerusha Agen

Today I am especially delighted to share a new author interview of a real, professional screenwriter and novelist named Jerusha Agen!

An aspiration of mine is to be a screenwriter so to interview someone who has done that was special to me. I hope you will be encouraged and inspired by Jerusha’s story!

Now here’s what’s in it for you: Jerusha would like to give one signed paperback copy of This Dance and an e-book of A Ruby Christmas to the winners of her book giveaway contest! Please note: if you want to enter this contest, simply reply to Jerusha's question at the end of this author interview. You can reply in the comment section. When you reply, please include your e-mail address so if you win the book giveaway, I can contact you to share the good news and make arrangements for you to receive your FREE gift from Jerusha! 

The two winners will be selected in a random drawing done by me (Alexis) on Sunday, Oct. 26. So you have two weeks from today to enter this book giveaway contest. I will announce winners under the comment section of this post and will notify the winners by e-mail.

So without further ado, here’s Jerusha’s interview with questions by me (Alexis) in bold font and Jerusha's answers in in plain font.

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Alexis: When did you start writing contemporary fiction and why is it your genre of choice?

Jerusha: Since I started writing as a young child, through my teens, and now as an adult, I’ve written nothing but contemporary fiction thus far. Writing historical fiction has never appealed to me, since I’m a coward when it comes to research. 

I can already get overwhelmed with the surprising amount of research required for a contemporary novel, so for me, tackling the amount of research required for writing historical novels would feel a bit like climbing Mount Everest with just a pick axe.

You’ve said on your official website, “Words are powerful. When words are used to tell stories, they’re unstoppable.” What do you mean? Share an example.

The best examples I know of are found in Scripture. When Jesus Christ wanted to get a point across that His followers would ponder and remember after His departure, He used stories we call parables. He created us, humans, in His own image and instilled in us a tremendous love of story. Stories move us like nothing else, inspire like nothing else, and teach us, for good or bad, like nothing else.

The best evidence of the power of words? Our Lord chose words as the mode of communication with humanity. He could have communicated with us through movies, music, or some other medium, but He instead used the written word for His letter to us—the Bible.

And to top it all off, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is also called “the Word.” Enough said.

Your book This Dance and holiday novella A Ruby Christmas looks especially fun and interesting. What can you tell my readers about those two books?

This Dance, Book One in the Sisters Redeemed Series, means a lot to me personally, since it was both my first novel to be published and the first novel I ever wrote. The work took many years to get finished, and I often despaired that anyone would ever read it.

I’m so thankful that God allowed it to be published so that others can enjoy this story about a former tango dancer who emotionally isolates herself because of a tragic loss. I hope that the tale of how God breaks through her defenses with a handsome lawyer and new difficulties will touch many readers. As the first book in the Sisters Redeemed Series, This Dance also spawned more special stories than I expected all those years ago when I began writing my first novel.

A Ruby Christmas was an entirely new experience for me, since it’s a novella written by a total of nine authors. Each author wrote a chapter in this story that follows Ruby Joy Buckner as she travels the world collecting special Nativity pieces and finds love along the way. There were unique challenges to writing a character and one small part of a story that a different author had created. God worked in this project to bring about a miracle of actually having the story be both cohesive and fun!

Every creative writer has a muse. What’s yours?

I get inspired with new ideas for stories whenever I travel and meet new people. As a homebody introvert, however, those aren’t my favorite things to do, so I prefer my other source of creative inspiration—good movies with powerful stories.

When did you start writing movie reviews? Why did you start? What do you hope to accomplish through your blog “Redeemer Reviews”?

I started writing movie reviews about three years ago when my brother encouraged me to do so, since he noticed I always had very strong opinions about the movies I watched. My goal with Redeemer Reviews is to help fellow Christians wade through the vast movie choices available to them with the discernment that comes from a biblical world view.

I want to encourage Christians to be bold and counter-cultural in our thinking, especially when it comes to our media choices. We need to stand out from the rest of the world as different and not be ashamed of our differences when they stem from our godly perspective that leads us to pursue living godly lives.

As a result of writing for Redeemer Reviews, however, I think that God has actually taught me more than any of my readers. He has used my movie review efforts to give me a greater understanding of what it means to think and live as a true, bold, and unashamed Christian in a world in which that is increasingly unpopular.

Where were you born and where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in the Midwest, a particularly beautiful and special part of the country if I do say so myself.

Where did you go to college and what degree did you graduate with? Did that degree help you in your career as a writer? Why or why not?

I graduated from St. Norbert College in Wisconsin with a B.A. in English (with a Creative Writing emphasis). The education that I received to attain that degree definitely helped me in my career as a writer, since I had the opportunity to do a great deal of writing and receive excellent instruction from my professors. Having foundational “nuts and bolts” knowledge of writing under my belt when I graduated was a tremendous asset to pursuing a writing career.

Do you only write novels or novellas (or both)? Explain why/why not.
In addition to participating in the serially published novella, A Ruby Christmas, I participated in another serial novella for Valentine’s Day this year, called A Dozen Apologies. The latter novella, written by twelve authors, is a fun romantic comedy that, when it was first published, allowed readers to vote for their favorite hero who would “get the girl” in the end! Since this novella was such a success, Write Integrity Press is releasing a sequel to A Dozen Apologies on Valentine’s Day 2015! Look for news about the release and another chance to vote for a happy ending at my website, www.SDGwords.com (news will be posted in late January).

On my own, however, I stay with writing novel-length pieces, since longer stories are what I most love to tell.

What would you say is the most challenging part of the book-writing process? Explain why.

I think the answer to this question is different for every author. For me, plotting is the most difficult because it requires intense mental concentration and a great deal of patience, which I am sorely lacking.

I’ve found that the plotting phase is where God tests me to see how much I trust His timing and actually believe that He is the one giving me ideas to write and the ability to write them.

What do you think is the most rewarding aspect of publishing a book?
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a novel. Then again, seeing my name on a book cover was always a dream of mine, as I know it is for many authors.

As I continue to publish and move beyond those first milestones, though, I’d have to say that getting positive feedback from readers who are touched by or just enjoyed my stories is very rewarding.

Who is your book publisher? Are they a traditional publisher or an imprint?

Currently, I’m published with Write Integrity Press. WIP is a small publisher that is fairly new to the industry, but has already become a launching point for many new Christian authors. Keep an eye on the WIP website at http://writeintegrity.blogspot.com/ for contests that offer unpublished authors the chance to become published!

I got my start through one of the WIP contests, and I’m forever grateful that Write Integrity took a chance on me and let me get my “foot in the door” of the publishing industry.

Do you have a literary agent? If yes, share their name/agency and tell us the story of how you landed your first writing contract.

I am blessed to be represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary. I was actually offered my first writing contract with Write Integrity Press thanks to one of the publisher’s contests that I entered, which took place before I had an agent.

You are a screenwriter! How did you land that gig? Do you have any movies in theaters yet?

Yes, I am a screenwriter! I truly love screenwriting better than any other writing genre. I was able to do some screenwriting professionally thanks to getting involved in the local independent film industry in my area.

What type of stories do you tell as a screenwriter? Name a few of your films and tell my readers where they can go to purchase and view your movies.

I’ve had the chance to write films that span from comedy to artistic drama, but I’m most proud of my own independent short film that I was able to write and direct. That film is called Ornament, and is a hard-hitting look at a little girl’s trauma at Christmastime when she’s caught in a world of domestic violence.

In the hope that this short film will impact many lives through individual and group showings, I’ve made Ornament available for free viewing on YouTube.

The motto on your website reads, “shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life (Phil. 2:15-16).” What does that saying and the Bible verse mean to you?

This verse is one of my favorites (of many!) because it resonates with me as a Christian and especially as a Christian writer. Like all Christians, I am to hold out the “word of life” to an unbelieving world. That “word of life” is Scripture and is also the Gospel of “the Word,” Jesus Christ.

For me as a writer, I actually get to write words of life in every story I put down on paper. And, as this remarkably poetic verse says, when we do “hold out the word of life,” we “shine like stars in the universe.” Just stop and really picture that for a moment. Stars are amazing, beautiful, and shine with a light so powerful that it can be seen for incredible distances and contribute light in dark skies to an entire world. WE get to do that. What an unbelievably beautiful promise and encouragement for us as followers of Christ!

Your website is called Soli Deo Gloria. Is that Greek (literally)? Explain why you chose that name.

“Soli Deo Gloria” is a Latin phrase that means “Glory to God Alone.” The phrase was made famous by Johann Sebastian Bach, who inscribed those words on all of his compositions to signify that his creative work was for God’s glory alone. Other great artists such as George Frederic Handel also employed the phrase in a similar manner.

I chose the name because, wherever my writing career takes me, I want the focus of my work to be on God and His glory. I am only able to tell stories and write as God enables me to do so, every step of the way. I am nothing without Him, and my stories would not exist without Him. I also wouldn’t write if not for His calling me to do so. I write for Him, for His glory alone.

Do you have a question for my readers? If yes, please write it now.

Do any of you have a Scripture verse that particularly resonates with you? Perhaps it’s your “life verse” or a “career verse”? Please share!

~*~
Author bio: 

Jerusha Agen is a lifelong lover of story—a passion that has led her to a B.A. in English and a highly varied career. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Jerusha is the author of the Sisters Redeemed Series, which includes the titles This Dance, This Shadow, and This Redeemer. Jerusha co-authored the e-books A Ruby Christmas and A Dozen Apologies from Write Integrity Press.

Jerusha is also a screenwriter, and several of her original scripts have been produced as films. In addition, Jerusha is a film critic with reviews featured at www.RedeemerReviews.com

Jerusha relishes snowy Midwest winters spent with her three large, furry dogs and two small, furry cats.

Where to find Jerusha online:

Website: www.SDGwords.com

Facebook: (Jerusha Agen - SDG Words) https://www.facebook.com/JerushaAgenSdgWords

Twitter: (@SDGwords) https://twitter.com/SDGwords

Look for Jerusha Agen on Goodreads

Buy Jerusha’s books online via  Amazon, BarnesandNoble and BookDepository

Author interview: Melissa Tagg

Today I have the blessing of being able to share a guest post with you in the form an interview with one of my favorite new authors! Melissa Tagg is her name and I instantly connected with her life story because she too has worked for a newspaper as a reporter and is now following her creative dreams as a novelist! So as you may guess, I was so happy to learn that Melissa had time to answer my questions about her career, life experience and faith in God.

Read my interview with Melissa here:

Welcome to my blog, Melissa! Thank you for taking time to answer my questions about your career and faith in God. Let's begin the interview...

When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Share the story.

I honestly can’t remember ever not wanting to be a writer. I started reading at a young age and I’m pretty certain the second I realized books were written by people, I decided to become one of those people. I did go through phases of wanting to be a teacher, a lawyer, and most notably, a rock star (I am still convinced I would make an awesome addition to the band Needtobreathe), but I’ve always wanted to write.

Would you say your life thus far has turned out exactly as you planned? Why or why not?

Oh, I wouldn’t say exactly as planned. In fact, I think the older I get, the more I realize life is at its best when it’s really not going as I’ve planned. It seems like every time I say I’ll never do something, I end up doing it and it ends up being awesome. Which convinces me God has a pretty great sense of humor.

Probably one of the most surprising things about my life has been my publishing journey. God opened doors I never would’ve expected—which is a great reminder to me that he’s always working behind the scenes, even when I can’t see it.

Do you consider yourself a Christian? If yes, how does your faith in God play a role in your everyday life, especially your creative career?

Yes, I definitely consider myself a Christian and that can’t help but play a role in my everyday life and my writing. My faith is the lens through which I see life—it’s definitely not always a clear lens. Things get blurry. I get as confused or tripped up as anyone. But I can’t help but filter life and thoughts and plans and stories through that lens.

When it comes to writing, specifically, I don’t tend to start out with a faith message or firm spiritual takeaway in my stories. In other words, I don’t say, “I’m going to write a story about forgiveness” and then proceed to come up with characters and plot. Instead, I usually start out with characters and a hook…and I start them on a journey. I always think I know where that journey is going and it always ends up somewhere different. And the spiritual takeaway emerges from the story, usually in bits and pieces.

To me, that’s pretty comparable to my everyday life. Yeah, sometimes we have these big spiritual highs or great experiences where some huge truth falls into place. But more often than not, for me, faith is made up of little moments, whispers and nudges from God rather than shouts and pushes.

Where did you grow up?

In a little town called Webster City in Iowa.

What college did you attend and what degree did you receive?

I attended Northwestern College in Iowa, a private, Christian liberal arts college, and received a bachelor’s degree in Writing & Rhetoric.

What was your first job and where was it?
My first post-college job was as a reporter at the Sioux Center News in Northwest Iowa.

How did you get into journalism? What was your life as a reporter like?

Remember above where I said I usually end up doing the things I said I’d never do? I remember sooooo clearly in college saying I never wanted to be a small-town reporter. And of course, right after college, I ended up as a small-town reporter. A college professor recommended me for the job.

And I ended up loving it! I’m convinced small-town reporting is the best job ever for an aspiring novelist because of the variety of experiences you get. I got to do everything from interviewing almost every candidate in the 2008 presidential election to flying a plane to riding in a hot air balloon to interviews in barns surrounded by llamas, cows, horses, etc. I once walked into a shed looking for the cowboy I was supposed to be interviewing and instead ended up face to face with a buffalo.

So my life as a reporter? Sure, it included some less than thrilling moments—like covering school board meetings (I’m so well acquainted with Robert’s Rules of Order, it’s not even funny)—but it included a LOT of cool moments.

Do you miss the newsroom?

I do. I have a great day job now, working as a grant writer and communications coordinator for a wonderful nonprofit—and that’s rewarding work. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I miss the variety and all the people I got to meet while reporting.

Why and how did you make the transition from journalist to novelist?

Well, I actually first made the transition from journalist to my current day job. And in my new job, I did a lot less writing during the day. I was also in a new town where I knew pretty much no one. I missed writing and I realized this was the perfect time to start pursuing my writing dream for real.

What is your favorite feature of being a novelist?

Finishing a book. LOL! But seriously, I love writing The End. I also weirdly love revisions. I like taking a messy first (or second or third) draft and turning it into something pretty. And I really love hearing from readers!

Where do you get the inspiration for your characters?

Oh, all over the place. I can’t say I’ve ever specifically based a character on a family member or friend, but traits of people I know definitely show up in characters. My main characters tend to reflect pieces of me, for sure. And classic movie characters tend to inspire me as well.

How do you plot your stories? Give my readers insight into your creative process.

I use Susan May Warren’s My Book Therapy (MBT) methods to plot. I usually start with a hook. In Made to Last, the hook was a homebuilding TV show host who has to pretend to be married—everything else grew from that. In Here to Stay, my hook was a prodigal son finally returning home and a heroine who’s desperate to finally leave.

I like to start knowing what my hero and heroine’s goal or noble quest is. Then I start fleshing out the characters. What are their greatest dreams and greatest fears, what dark moment in their past shaped who they are today, what lie do they believe—this is all MBT terminology. And for me, it’s the absolute best way to go about shaping a story.

From there, I decide what the inciting incident is, what my characters’ big goals are and what obstacles are standing in their way.

I used to plot out each scene in great detail. And I still do create a plot spreadsheet—but I’m learning more and more to hold that plot with a loose grip, to let the characters and story do their thing.

How do you think of names for your characters?

Unlike many authors, I’m not too hard core on picking out names. I don’t get baby name books or look up meanings or that kind of thing. Honestly, the names just tend to come out when I’m writing.

What can you tell my readers about your next book project? When will it be released?

Next spring I have a novella releasing called Three Little Words. It’s a bridge between Here to Stay, my last book, and From the Start, my third novel. From the Start releases in April 2015 and kicks off my new series, The Walker Family series. I’m really excited about it!

What is the most challenging aspect of being a creative professional?

The most challenging aspect is definitely juggling my writing with my day job with my family/friends/social life. That’s really hard for me and it’s something that has tripped me up quite a bit this year, actually. I’m still learning how to balance, that’s for sure.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a creative professional?

I think the most rewarding thing is simply the joy of telling stories—and knowing those stories have the potential to entertain, encourage, maybe even inspire readers. I know how stories impact me as a reader. I hope the stories I tell have that same impact on others. Plus, I feel like I’m doing what God made me to do—and that’s a good feeling.

Did you go through a “starving artist” phase? If so, tell me about it and share how you emerged.

I didn’t really go through that phase simply because I’ve always had a day job in addition to writing. I have had thoughts of quitting my day job and focusing solely on writing, but the time hasn’t been right for that yet.

How do you make ends meet? Do you have other work or are you making a sufficient living as a novelist?

Yep, I have a full-time day job—so any income from my writing is supplementary at this point. Very few novelists are actually able to live on the money they make from writing. Many supplement advances and royalty checks with other freelance writing or, like me, have another job altogether.

I do love the idea of writing full-time, but I also love being able to pay all my bills and have health insurance and all that. LOL! Plus, with writing income as supplementary, it frees me up financially to do things I might not be able to do if I was the proverbial starving artist. I can travel and go to writing conferences, etc.

What advice do you have to aspiring creative professionals?

Definitely, definitely, definitely find a writing community. For me, that has been MBT and ACFW. Also, I suggest finding a craft partner or group—these don’t have to be people who critique your work so much as people who hold you accountable, support your goals and pray with you.

Embrace revisions! Drafting a book can be fun and exciting, but for me, it’s the rewriting process where the real magic happens. Whoever said writing is rewriting had it spot-on.

Finally, pray and trust God to open doors at the right time. Which sounds simple, but I’m convinced it’s the best thing we can do.

Your creative dreams have come true. Is there any other dream you hope will come true for you?

I’m still holding out for that rock star dream.

But seriously, I have a lot of other dreams—and weirdly, they tend to conflict with each other. Sometimes I dream of getting married and having kids and settling down. Other times all I want is to travel and speak and go off and live somewhere exciting. I have no idea which of these things God has for me. So I think maybe my biggest dream, at this point, is to be cool with whatever He does have for me…to take each day as it comes…and to stay open to anything.

Complete this sentence: At the end of the day, I am ________________ because _______________.

At the end of the day, I am grateful because God’s got this…all of it.

Thanks for the interview, Melissa! Is there a question you’d like my readers to answer? If so, please write it here so my readers can address it in the comment section.

I love hearing about other people’s dreams. So my question for readers is, What dream of yours has come true and what dream are you working toward?

~*

Author bio: Melissa Tagg, author of Made to Last and Here to Stay, is a former reporter and total Iowa girl. In addition to her homeless ministry day job, she is also the marketing/events coordinator for My Book Therapy, a craft and coaching community for writers. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. She’s passionate about humor, grace, and happy endings. Melissa blogs regularly and loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com.

Notes from Melissa: 

My books are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, other online retailers and at bookstores near you.

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