This week I’m hosting Kimberly Woodhouse with Woodhouse Family Welcome Home! Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy and Amanda Cabot with Scattered Petals. Only United States residents can enter Amanada Cabot’s drawing. If you want to enter the drawing for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (Mar. 14th) evening.
Interview with Kimberly Woodhouse:
1. What made you start writing?
A: The love of story. I’ve always been an avid reader, but as a musician, I didn’t think I could write. Then one night, when my children were babies and sick, I wrote 35,000 words. Finished that book in three days. But never told anyone. A few years later, a friend found my manuscripts and lovingly told me I was hiding my light under a bushel. I’ve been writing ever since.
2. How long have you been writing? A: For a little more than twelve years. When did you sell your first book? A: I sold my first book in 2008. My daughter became very ill in 2005 and even though I kept writing, I didn’t try to sell anything for quite a while. God knew what He was doing. It was His perfect timing.
3. How do you handle rejections? A: I’ve only had a couple (so far – I’m sure there will be many more), but I looked at each one with a positive attitude—I wanted to learn as much as I could. So a rejection might’ve felt like I’d landed in a mud puddle, but I realized that each opportunity I fell down was an opportunity to learn more. It’s kept me pressing on toward the finish line.
4. Why do you write? A: To glorify God.
5. What would you be doing with your free time if you weren’t writing? A: That’s an interesting question. ☺ Our lives are very full, but I’m sure I’d still be homeschooling and hauling my kids back and forth to swim team. Oh, but I’d probably have more time to read! Wouldn’t that be fun?
6. What are you working on right now? A: My daughter Kayla and I are contracted for three books with B&H Publishers. We are finishing up the first book right now, and working hard on the story of book two. They are Romantic Suspense set in Alaska. Kayla will be the youngest published full-length novelist. So fun. ☺
7. Do you put yourself into your books/characters? A: Yes. Every book I’ve ever written has a little bit of me in it. I think it helps bring authenticity to them, makes them real, fallible. And of course, Welcome Home, is our story, so there’s a LOT of me in it ☺
8. Tell us about the book you have out right now. A: Welcome Home: Our Family’s Journey to Extreme Joy is out from Tyndale House Publishers right now. It’s funny, I never dreamed of writing non-fiction until thousands of people began to ask for our story after all the TV hoopla. But Welcome Home is from my heart. An encouragement to the reader that no matter what we go through, God’s joy is always there.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers? A: Keep your focus on God. No matter what. And write. Write. Write. Then write some more.
10. How important is faith in your books? A: My answer is pretty simple: God IS the story. You can’t take Him out.
11. What themes do you like to write about? A: I love writing about everyday people overcoming overwhelming obstacles and giving the reader hope. Because that’s what we all do every day. But sometimes we need to be reminded to hope. No matter what. Life is hard. But God is good.
12. What is your favorite book you’ve written and why? A: That’s a tough one. My favorite is usually the one I’m working on at the time. ☺ But right now, I’d have to say Welcome Home. A lady wrote me several months ago saying that she had planned to take her own life until she read my book. That in turn, changed my life. And I think it always will. To see what God can do through a simple writer like me. I’m humbled and in awe.
13. What is your writing schedule like? A: I write more than 40 hours a week. But since I also homeschool my kids, the schedule is often crazy. An hour or two before school. A few hours poolside while the kids are in their workouts. An hour or two at night. It’s a lot of fun, but I’ve learned – I have to be flexible. ☺
