Pamela Tracy this week/Why I write inspirational romances

Congratulations to Kristi for winning Cradle of Secrets by Lisa Mondello.

This week I have Pamela Tracy as my guest on my blog. She is giving away Price of Redemption, a Love Inspired Suspense for November, in a drawing. If you want to be entered in the drawing, please email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com by next Sunday evening. Visit her web site to find out more about her.

Pamela Kaye Tracy is a writer and teacher in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she lives with a newly acquired husband (Yes, Pamela is somewhat a newlywed. You can be a newlywed for seven years. We’re only on year five) and a confused cat (Hey, I had her all to myself for thirteen years. Where’d this guy come from? But, maybe it’s okay. He’s pretty good about feeding me and petting me). She was raised in Omaha, Nebraska, and started writing at a very young age (a series of romances, all with David Cassidy as the hero. Sometimes Bobby Sherman would interfere). Then, while earning a BA in Journalism at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, she picked up the pen again only this time, it was an electric typewriter. She wrote a very bad science fiction novel.)

Finally published in 1999 ( after figuring out that her heart was still with the David Cassidy stories and not the Planet Zortzy stories), Pamela has since published twelve more writings in both romantic comedy and Christian inspiration romance.

Pamela spends days as an English professor. Besides being involved in her church, writing, teaching, and taking care of her family, she is often asked to speak at various writers’ organizations in the Phoenix area. She belongs to Romance Writers of America, The Society of Southwestern Writers, The Arizona Authors’ Association, and the American Christian Writer’s Association. In February of 2005, her newlywed status changed to that of newlymom (oh, and her little boy is cuter than David Cassidy).

Why I write inspirational romances
By Margaret Daley
Sometimes you don’t always hear what the Lord is saying to you. It took several pushes to get me to where I am today, writing inspirational romances. For years I wrote in the secular market but hadn’t found what deeply satisfied me. In 2000 I was floundering, trying to find a direction in my writing. I tried several genres, but nothing really spoke to me. A friend told me about hearing an editor for Steeple Hill talk at a conference. I had submitted something to this editor when she was working on a secular line for Harlequin. She had been encouraging and positive about my writing.

But even then I didn’t think I had what it took to write an inspirational romance. Yes, I believe in the Lord. Yes, I have a strong faith. But me write for the Lord? I didn’t see it. I didn’t think I was worthy.

But the Lord had a different plan for me. He gave me a story that had to be told as an inspirational romance. It involved a student I had worked with who had Down’s syndrome. His story had been so inspiring and full of so much faith in the Lord. I took the idea and came up with something that was a tribute to the students I worked with who were special needs. They are filled with so much love. They are special, not because of their disabilities but because of whom they are.

The editor bought that book in three weeks. This was my first Love Inspired called The Power of Love. But even after this I thought how could I do this over and over. Why would the Lord use me? I didn’t think I could sustain it in stories after stories. I might be able to do a couple but that would be all.

I am writing my twenty-third inspirational romance at this time and the stories keep coming. The only thing I can contribute that to is the power of the Lord. I am continually amazed at what He can do.

Now when I look back at my writing career, I see His hand pushing me in that direction long before the year 2000, but I wasn’t listening. I wasn’t ready. Be open to what the Lord has planned. And listen.
Take care,
Margaret