CWD Member Interview - Susan Barnes

Most Thursdays this year we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals. 

Today’s interview: Susan Barnes 

Question 1: Tell us three things about who you are and where you come from.

 

1. I was born in England and migrated to Australia with my parents in 1964 as Ten Pound Poms

2. I’m a writer and short-term interim pastor. I’m working towards getting my first book published

3. I’ve always been an avid reader, but I didn’t grow up dreaming of being an author

Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

I write to teach, disciple and encourage Christians. Mostly I write devotional thoughts based on Bible verses but I’ve also written book-length manuscripts. My manuscript, 10 Blessings of God You Won’t Want to Miss, recently won the CALEB unpublished non-fiction award. Currently, I’m working on a manuscript where each chapter is a Bible character. I particularly like to write about obscure characters or difficult stories. For example, Priscilla, Lydia, Jephthah, Jonathan, Nebuchadnezzar, Abraham sacrificing Isaac etc. 

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it? 

A lot of my devotions are online and I don’t get a lot of feedback. I know from the statistics that my website has always attracted more Americans than Australians, but I have no idea why. Perhaps because there are simply more of them. In the last 12 months, I’ve had a surprising increase in the number of hits from the Philippines. 

Of course, I’d like everyone to read my blog/website! But realistically, I hope my work is found by those who need a word of encouragement, challenge or hope. Link to my website.

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Initially, my process for writing devotions was random but these days it’s highly structured. As part of my devotional times, I write about a verse that stands out to me. This means I have exercise books full of thoughts on Bible verses. When I want to write a series of devotions from a particular Bible book, I find the exercise book where I’ve written about that book of the Bible. At the moment, I’m writing devotions on Luke from notes I made in 2017.

When I’m writing a book-length manuscript, I look for a theme that I can break into ten chapters and as I approach each chapter, I look for one overall idea with three points.

My biggest challenge is not to rush. I’ve come to accept that it takes as long as it takes. If I rush the process the standard of my writing suffers. I loosely aim to write or edit 4,000 words a week for three weeks of the month. (The fourth week I write articles for my blog.) I hold this goal lightly and if it doesn’t happen, that’s okay. 

It helps me to have a routine. Most mornings I write or prepare sermons (which is quite similar). In the afternoons, I shop, exercise, read, socialise, do housework etc. It’s been difficult to explain to my hairdresser why I don’t like appointments in the morning!

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

My favourite writing craft book is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, not because it was brilliantly insightful but because it was so funny, despite the bad language. However, she did also share some useful thoughts, particularly about not taking yourself too seriously as a writer. I have trouble finding craft books that address the genre I write which is Christian living, but not creative non-fiction. I enjoy reading about other authors’ processes. The first one I ever read was Stephen King’s On Writing which was helpful, again, despite the bad language.

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

I like to give a shout-out to some writers I met at the beginning of my connection with Christian Writers who are still part of CWD particularly, Jenny Glazebrook, Jo-Anne Berthelsen, Nola Passmore and Penny Reeve. These writers have inspired and encouraged me by their faithfulness and persistence over many years. In the early days of Omega Conferences, I remember their willingness to run workshops for a pittance, yet they always came fully prepared. They shared not only their talents but their love of words and their heart for God. They have been good role models for me.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2021? How will you achieve them?

I have been given a place in the 2021 Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing and Communication course run by Tabor College. So my goal for next year is to complete the course! I also want to keep writing three articles a week for my blog. Every other writing project is going to be put on hold.

I’m looking forward to doing this course and curiously, I only felt confident to undertake it because of receiving the CALEB Award this year. In about June I received feedback on my CALEB entry from the first-round judges, which was mostly positive and the few negatives were things I could easily fix. When I received the feedback from the second-round judges, there were again lots of positives and a few negatives. However, this time I wasn’t sure how to fix the negatives yet I also knew they were things that needed to be fixed. Still, there were enough positives to give me the confidence to pursue further study. 

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

Without my faith, I would have nothing to write about! 

I started writing regularly when my husband became a pastor and he asked me to write a devotional article once a fortnight for the church newsletter. At the time, I thought it was a huge commitment and how would I ever find enough to write about? Three years later, we moved to a church that had a newsletter every week, but at least by then, I could recycle a few thoughts from the previous church. 

Over the years, I’ve felt a growing sense of my writing becoming a ministry rather than just a hobby.

Susan Barnes likes to write devotional thoughts on Bible passages, book reviews and inspirational articles. She loves to challenge people's thinking and regularly posts on her blog/website. You can receive her free ebook, 10 Things My Children Taught Me About God when you sign up for her newsletter.

CWD Member Interview - Ester de Boer

Most Thursdays this year we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today’s interview: Ester de Boer, Author and illustrator

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

I have always been creative and imaginative- I was drawing on every available surface from the moment I would grasp a crayon. And have always been a story teller. My parents were amazing story tellers, just able to make up stories on the spot. My siblings and I used to rewrite our favourite stories into plays or “radio” plays with sound effects, so stories were a big part of my childhood. 

One of my favourite pages in Raymund and the Fear Monster by Megan Higginson, which I illustrated.

I didn’t take my creative side seriously until later in life, so have spent most of my life squeezing myself into uncomfortable and ill-suited roles. (I think there should be a way you can have a doctorate in unfinished courses of study- kind of a PHD of ADHD??? I’d be a well-lettered person by now!)

Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

I have three types of writing – my fantasy novel, which is a long-term project; my “no way I am going to show you this unless you’re my therapist” stuff (admit it- we all have some hidden somewhere!) and (I really don’t know how to categorise it) stuff I’ve written in response to a revelation by the holy spirit. 

The fantasy novel is eccentric and darkly comical, while the Christian-based writing is (and I am surprised, as the thought of “inspirational writing” makes me want to poke my fingers down my throat) um… inspiring, uplifting, without a trace of my usually sardonic tone. I kind of wrangled with that for a while, but I realise that they’re simply two parts of myself- not my “Christian” self vs my “dark side”. I’d feel untrue if I only did one and not the other. 

Question 3: Who has read your work? 

I have had many hapless victims, cornered in my home or at a coffee shop, forced to listen as I read my work to them. I do this as shamelessly as any grandma with gigantic albums full of grandkid photos- it’s the best way to proof read (and yes, they have to sit through that as well). 

In a more formal context, I have had three stories published so far in Stories of Life: “When Andy Met God”, “Three Dummies in a Dinghy” and “Under the Frangipani Tree”. 

Available at Koorong

Who would you like to read it?

Anyone who would be encouraged or inspired by it, I suppose. I don’t try to write these. They’re responses to, sometimes, really painful or difficult situations or struggles, and the writing is the product of coming through them. 

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

No matter what type of writing it is (and I mean this literally, whether it’s a fantasy novel or university essay) I always read it out loud. I do this over and over, to myself, to others… and sometimes I get others to read it back to me. I’m musical, and I put this in my writing. You can’t ignore rhythm, tempo, texture. I keep pruning and reshaping sentences to try to get the right flow. 

If I am writing from God-given inspiration, I feel a sense of responsibility to communicate it truthfully and also to critique it theologically as well. I may be feeling sparkly rainbow fuzzies from a wonderful experience, but I may also be way off mark theologically. I won’t put pen to paper without prayer and the Bible to refer to, so it ends up being part of my worship “process” which is really beautiful- I revisit the memories, the revelation, the breakthrough, that first brought me to the experience- and the final writing becomes a solidifying of this in myself. 

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

Gosh, I don’t have one! I do, however, constantly read, and I’m not passive in that process. I have writers whose style I admire, like Salman Rushdie, who uses amazing alliteration or Paul Theroux (I took so long to read the Mosquito Coast because I kept rereading paragraphs just to hear them again). I think the best writing lesson is being a reader of good writing.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for this year? How will you achieve them?

I have drafted out another autobiographical short story which I now need to edit. I also plan to complete the current section of my novel (a tough process of helping my protagonist escape capture by rabbit crime gangs, ride a pirate rocketship through a gushing ringbridge, and battle two-headed parasitic birds that nest in the shells of aged, retired planets- phew!) 

How will I achieve this? I think I need a few long plane or train trips! There’s nothing like the long, boring hours awaiting your destination surrounded by odd human specimens as wonderful character inspiration… I cannot write at home. 

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

When I was a new Christian, I went into a creative void, as I found myself going from being a little free-spirited bohemian chick to trying to fit in in a subculture that was so restrictive and suspicious in regard to imagination and creativity (I am first a visual artist). I was constantly told that God would probably require me to give up my art, though I never received any logical explanation why. As I’ve grown more in my relationship with God, I have gained a healthier understanding of my giftings as God-given. It’s actually a big story in itself, but it’s affected how much I have come to sit comfortably in my own skin as an artist, writer and creative person, through the eyes of the creator, not church culture. If I didn’t have that understanding, I think I wouldn’t have sense of peace or freedom behind my work. 

Ester de Boer grew up in Townsville, North Queensland and has gradually allowed gravity to pull her further down into the icy climes of Gippsland, Victoria. She is a creative writer, artist, children’s book illustrator, musician and all-round arty person. To support her art habit, Ester works as a special education teacher and on Sundays plays violin and sings in her church music team.  You can view some of her illustration work at www.esterdeboerillustration.com 

CWD Meet Our Members - Jenny Woolsey

Most Thursdays in 2019 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today's interview: Jenny Woolsey

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

I am a motivational speaker, educator, advocate and mum living, north of Brisbane. 

I am visually disabled and have three children who have a range of disabilities. 

I facilitate the Moreton Bay Region Local Writer Meet and Greet and the Moreton Bay Region Book Feasts. And of course I love God! 

Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc). What do you write and why?

I write on the theme of Be Weirdly Wonderful! Embrace your difference. I have 5 published junior fiction/YA books, been included in 5 short story anthologies and I also write blogs on the subject. Within these stories I use a combination of fantasy, contemporary realism and my blog posts address mindsets for coping with being different and societal issues. My world is one of difference and disability, so God has put on my heart that I must help others to feel worthy and valuable, and to know they are perfect the way they are.

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

My stories have been read internationally. My first novel, Ride High Pineapple, was endorsed by the Children’s Craniofacial Association which I was excited about. I would dearly love for my stories to be in all libraries and schools, read by as many children as possible, because they deal with such current pertinent topics. 

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

I think my biggest challenge is forming the initial idea then planning a unique and engaging storyline. 

A spark of an idea normally comes from a book I read, something I see in a movie or on TV, a real-life event, or talking to someone. When I am reading other authors’ stories, I always study the structure, how they use point of view and how they use the element of surprise or twists.

Once I have my idea, I play with it in my mind, working out the characters, the setting, and the story line. I plot out the story on a large piece of paper or by using post it notes on a story arc picture. If the idea doesn’t work, I scrap it, and rethink. For my children’s novels I want stories that have a message and will keep the child turning the pages.

My blog posts are written in reaction to something I see on the news or on social media, or after I have been triggered by an event.

I think what helps me the most is my inner determination to not give up and the fact that I am willing to toss a story away and start back at the beginning if I believe it isn’t going to be good enough. 

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why?

I use blogs on the internet and YouTube videos often to check on different types of story structure and grammar rules. I have style guides in my home library. I haven’t found one craft book that has all my answers, so am happy to read from a variety of sources.

A friend has just lent me the book, How to Write Your Blockbuster by Fiona McIntosh and I am enjoying reading it, as it has many general topics – and you can always learn something you didn’t know!

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

I would have to give a shout-out to Jeanette O’Hagan (Jenny) who I met early on in my writing journey. She has always supported my writing and I have enjoyed watching her successes, reading her stories and her friendship. Jenny also facilitates this wonderful blog so needs to be congratulated for that! 

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2019/2020? How will you achieve them?

My goal is to publish two books - my self-help book, Be Weirdly Wonderful! Embrace your difference. How to be yourself in this world of perfection and prejudice; and the second book in my Daniel Barker Series. I will also continue to write my blogs. I am nearly up to the editing stage of Be Weirdly Wonderful! so it is well on its way. I have the storyline for Daniel Barker #2 worked out, so after I finish my self-help book it will be my focus. I also will continue to write short stories for anthologies and blog posts, that fit within my theme.

To help me achieve my writing goals I have a vision board with the specific names of the books on it. I then break the process down into smaller steps and give them an accomplishment date. From there I break these smaller steps up into weeks then to daily to do lists. If it isn’t written down, it won’t happen.

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

I put my faith into my children’s stories in some capacity. They are aimed at the general public so sometimes it is just that Grandma goes to church as in Daniel Barker: By Power or Blight. In Ride High Pineapple, Issy says in her journal that she believes in God and prays. I will not write stories that have topics that God would see as inappropriate, and when I write fantasy, I am careful with the characters and props. If I can, I will add a verse or theme from the Bible, as I did in Land of Britannica with the coat of armour Brittney wears being similar to the Armour of God, and also the quote in the front is Faith, Hope, Love – the greatest of these is love. I pray before and during the writing process and ask for guidance.

Jenny Woolsey is a visually-impaired author and motivational speaker who is passionate about making the world a better place for people who have disabilities or are labelled as different. In Proverbs 31: 8 it says to speak for those who can’t, so she does.

North of Brisbane is where Jenny hangs out with her family and adorable fur baby, Smokey.

Jenny facilitates the Moreton Bay Region Local Writer Meet and Greet, and Moreton Bay Region Book Feasts.

You can find Jenny at www.jennywoolsey.com, on Facebook,  Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and on Blogger . Her books are available from most online bookstores or from her website.

Meet Our Members: Brian Maunder

Most Thursdays in 2019 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today's interview: Brian Maunder

Firstly, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share. I have been a part of the CWD online community for many years now, and it has been a constant source of encouragement and inspiration.

  

1.      Tell us three things about who you are and where you come from.

I was born and still live in Adelaide, South Australia.  I am just nigh over 50 winters of age, married with two children, and work on a casual basis for Torrens Transit Adelaide as a bus driver, sometimes driving the O-Bahn circuit. Most of my time is devoted to home-schooling my two children and to the myriad of tasks involved with family life. I am a keen musician and like to busk when I can (guitar and singing), though my main instrument is piano.  I had a conversion experience when I was about 20 years old and my early Christian years were within the Salvos. Sailing the turbulences of life, I was a pilgrim for a while, traversing various Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations.  I now call my local Anglican Church home, and have been a part of the community there for over ten years.  I also love to attend Catholic services whenever I get the chance. 

2.      Tell us about your writing. What do you write and why?

My journey into writing is all due to a painting, which I created abstractly about 12 years ago. At that time, after sploshing colours upon a canvas, then crazily attacking it with obscure brush mayhem, I created something that looked, to me, like large ocean waves. To stimulate surrealist ideals, I thought to paint an image in the sky. Initially, I intended to draw flowers, but then changed my mind and drew a kite instead. This was all done just prior to Easter.

True to the season, and with the thoughts of Christ’s Passion upon my mind, I noticed that the kite was essentially built upon the framework of a cross. Whilst I gazed at the painting, questions crossed paths with my imaginings and meditations. I asked myself: “What would it be like to fly over that turbulent sea? Who created the kite? Did the kite know it was held together by a cross?” Suddenly, an idea of a story popped into my mind, and believing it to be too important to ignore, I set to work. What resulted was a children’s picture book which was published seven years ago (2012).

During the crafting of that simple book, whilst contemplating the theology hidden within the narrative, I realised that there was far more to this story than most people would perceive at a quick first glance. At some point I thought: “Wouldn’t it be great to read this as a novel. Maybe I should try and write it out in words.” Crazy me then went ahead and tried to actually do this… and I am still at the plough.  Since then, this has been the sole aim of writing: to try and complete a novel based on my picture book. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.

3.      Who has read your work? Who would like to read it?

“Polly’s Little Kite” was distributed internationally from the US publishers, and it only takes five minutes to read, so I presume many people have read it. It has been used in church services, especially during Easter, as a way to teach the message of the cross. It is also available in many libraries across SA.

My new story, the one still being pummelled upon the anvil of intention, hasn’t been published yet, so no one, except my editor Nola Passmore, has read it. Who will read it when it is? Well, that’s something that still perplexes me. It’s not aimed at a genre, so I’m not actually sure. It is in fact three stories, layered one upon another. The first story, set in England 1919, involves a boy who, after making a tree-house with his dad, loses both his dad and family home to the war. The second story, involves an Australian father, who after losing his son in the same war, can’t make sense of life and faith. These two stories merge 20 years later when the Australian receives a letter from his deceased son, couriering knowledge of the English boy’s tree-house, and the special treasure within it. Woven through and around these two stories, intertwines the tale of the kite. All three stories combine and resolve at the end.

Though the narrative is for young readers, it isn’t really a book for children, as it is too complex. However, mature readers may not like the childish elements of the kite, and the innocence of the main characters.  So, it’s not for kids and not for adults… (sigh). I know my own children love the story, even though they don’t fully understand every nuance of language and idea within it. I suppose I live in hope that it will be prove to be accessible to young and old alike. When it is published I want to dedicate it to “Fathers and Sons”.

4.      Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

This book has mostly been written at 2am, as this is when I would wake up with that inspirational spark that just has to be fanned into written flame. I always write things with pen onto paper first, and those scribbles and scratches are then deciphered and typed onto the PC. 

My greatest challenge is that I am untrained and unskilled at writing. I would have the idea, and it would burst forth, but whilst inking down the words, I would fail to write in such a way as to incorporate the new idea into the larger narrative. This is one reason why editing has taken so painstakingly long. The story is complete, but it has been written with too many varying “points of view”.   Now, in this final drafting, all this editing seems to be taking the life out of the original manuscript. After all the efforts, I believe there is a danger it could become like an overworked mosaic of ideas. I’m hoping and praying this won’t be the case when viewed from fresh eyes.

The joy I have when I contemplate some of the ideas within the story, is one of my greatest motivations. I often look up at some grand old tree and imagine the climb to the top, (a critical element of the narrative) and sense again the freedoms and exhilarations of those wonderful experiences that I had when I was a boy, which included moments of fun activities like tree climbing and cubby-house making. This reliving and imagining is so refreshing it just keeps me alive to want to tell of it. Occasionally someone will ask how the writing is going, and that’s a real encouragement as well. What helps me the most, is that spiritual desire to “climb into that sanctuary” and experience that wonderful purity and freedom, that childhood innocence, to be myself as I spend “time with the Father” who loves me as far as the East is from the West, and farther than the heavens are above the Earth.

5.      What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and Why?

I have two books that I regularly refer to.

“Grammar Rules”, by Craig Shrives, actually makes learning and reading about Grammar enjoyable.  Written by a man with years of experience penning and compiling papers and reports for military use, this brilliant book is concise, easy to understand, thorough and full of witty and thoughtful quotes to keep you happy.

“Writing Tools”, by Roy Peter Clark, lists 55 strategies, or tools, to equip and assist writers. Just reading a chapter now and then, can help ignite inspiration, hone skills, cultivate motivations and spur you forward, not just in what you write, but as a person passionate about writing.  From developing “useful habits” to adding pizazz and special effects to your work, the book offers solid useful ideas, though it does sometimes take some mental effort to think through what is being discussed. 

6.      If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer,  editor or illustrator – who would that be and why.

There’s no doubt that Nola Passmore (through her business “The Write Flourish”) would be at the top of my “shout-out” list. She was willing to edit my first draft, green as I was, and helped me see things from her experienced and trained eyes. Her honest (and gracious) critique, though crushing at times, was exactly what I needed. She counselled me through the numerous things my first draft lacked (and there were many) whilst at the same time, encouraged and praised those things she deemed laudable. The main thing for me, was that she was not trying to tickle the truth. I needed thoughtful, honest and guiding feedback… and this is what she offered.

Consequently, when I approached her again with my second draft, I knew I was dealing with someone whose work had integrity. Her final evaluation rang as sweet music to my ears when she wrote, “I think you have a really good story now and I encourage you to pursue publication.”

Other “shout-outs” for CWD people who have helped and encouraged me include; Rhonda Pooley, Marilyn Simpson, Anusha Atukarola, Mazzy Adams, Morton Benning,  Paula Vince, Karina Hudson, Melinda Jensen, Rosanne Hawke and Lesley Turner.  Also Jo’Anne Griffiths, Jeanette O’Hagan and Adam Collins, who were also fellow Nano-Wrimo camp mates. 

7.      What are your writing goals for 2019/20. How will you achieve them?

Along with lighting a candle, kneeling and reading, writing has become a practice that accompanies my devotional times. It helps me focus and stops my mind from wandering. Often, I like to write a scripture or meditation, word-for-word verbatim, into my diary. Like music appearing upon a page, the letters curve and twist and camber into words and thoughts and themes, and as I watch my pen, and follow the flow of the ink, I slow down, and pause and pray. I listen. The act of writing becomes an act of worship. I am not skimming over things. I perceive and hear with greater clarity. So, with this in mind, my number one goal for writing is to make it help me pursue the Lord.

I do have ideas for other stories, but honestly, after the efforts required for “Little Kite and the Compass Tree”, I’m not sure if I have the resources to write another novel. I have too much happening within family life and work… and time is of the essence.  My writing goal for 2018 is to finish this penultimate draft and then send it for editing again. This process will probably happen a few times, as I will only commit to publishing until a number of people are happy. I will also send the manuscript to students and some church leaders, for their thoughts (and hopefully blessings) as well. Since the search for a publisher is, for me, a complete waste of time, and I am wearied of “knocking on doors” and “filling out forms”, I intend to publish this work myself. I don’t care about literary success. I just want to finish the job as best I can, so I can share the story with others.

8.      How does your faith impact and shape your writing.

To answer this question I will quote from Henri Nouwen’s classic book “The Return of the Prodigal Son”.  He writes: “I have a new vocation now. It is the vocation to speak and write from that place... I have to kneel before the Father, put my ear against his chest and listen, without interruption, to the heartbeat of God. Then, and only then, can I say carefully, and very gently what I hear.”

Probably, one reason why it has taken me so long to complete a written work, is that life gets so extremely busy for me. Chores and tasks, obligations and responsibilities can crowd in and seemingly take over. Consequently, to my shame, I can neglect the call to intimacy that God invites me to. Prayer and meditation is put on hold, and I cease to drink from those beautiful “streams of living water”. I literally cannot write, nor do I want to write, if my heart is far from the Lord. The first port of call for any creative manuscript, for me, is always prayer and confession, which then merges and moves into meditation and contemplation. When I feel that I can hear and sense the heartbeat of God, it is then that I want to pick up the pen.

Links
Nola Passmore’s website: http://www.thewriteflourish.com.au/
Blog detailing my conversion:  http://brianmaunder.blogspot.com/2015/01/

Meet Our Members: Helen Brown

Most Thursdays in 2019 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today's interview is with Helen Brown

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

My parents were Salvation Army Officers until I was 10 years old. My dad then returned to his first employment love, farming. Moving around as many times as we did, means that I don’t really feel like I came from anywhere in particular. I was born in Mt Isa, North Queensland but I always felt that my roots were in Inverell, New South Wales, because both my parents spent a good part of their childhood there. This is where my parents met and fell in love. My dad’s parents lived there all their lives. Having such a rich spiritual background means that I have always known the love of God in my life and my relationship with Him as developed slowly over the years from birth to now.

Question 2: Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

My writing career started almost accidently, except that God doesn’t do anything by accident. I started out doing the occasional Newssheet article for our Church bulletin at the request of our minister. After about a year I realised that I could turn it into a book, that was my first book, Turning Water into Wine. These articles are where God has challenged me with something ordinary that has a spiritual lesson for me, and through my six books, others as well.

Over the last couple of years, I have been writing my first novel, but I have to say I’m not sure what God wants to do with that. It may be that it’s just a stepping stone to another venture. I have discovered that my sister is a very talented fiction writer and we, my daughter, Wendy Wood, and I are planning on releasing that one of her books on September 4^th. This date is significant as it’s the anniversary of our Mother’s arrival in Heaven and it’s a way to acknowledge the importance that she had to both of us.

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

I know very few people who have read my work by name; however, I know one gentleman found that one of my stories about looking up in Turning Water into Wine, helped him while he was changing a light bulb. It doesn’t seem like a great big spiritual thing but even such small things are important to God and He can use whatever He likes for whatever purpose He deems necessary. It seems it was important enough for this man to mention it to my mother.

Who would I like to read my work, Oh, my goodness that is such a loaded question? My articles were, initially designed to encourage Christians each Sunday, and that is the main purpose of my work but it would also be great if God enabled those outside the church to at least start asking questions about their relationship with God through my books.

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

The process of writing for me is usually when I am inspired by some small incident, comment, question or when the devil has a real go at me over something I’m struggling with. So, there is usually quite a lot of prayer before and during the thinking stage. The biggest challenge I face is finding the time to write. Like most people in regional Australia we are in the middle of the biggest drought this country has seen since records started and as we live on a farm that means that I have to be a hands-on partner. The work is never ending, thankless and discouraging. You could say that most of what I write is messages to myself, reminding me of the faithfulness of God when everything looks dire.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

I don’t have one, sorry.

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Jo’Anne Griffiths, I had the real privilege of meeting Jo some years ago while I was at a church conference in Sydney and we have been trying to make it an annual event. Sadly, neither of us could make it happen this year but we will try again next year. Jo has been a great encourager for me and edited by latest book, Still More Water into Wine. She did an amazing job and is currently looking at the first part of my novel. I’m am so grateful that God bought this wonderful woman into my circle of friends. 

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2019? How will you achieve them?

This year I am trying to get my novel finished, as previously stated its been in the pipeline for a couple of years now, however, I’m not sure where God wants to take it yet. With the grace of God, I pray that I will be able to publish more of my sister’s stories but the year is so close to the end that I’m think we will run out of time. Yes, just blink and Christmas will be here.

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

My writing would not have even started without my faith, so it goes hand in hand. The challenge for me is to make sure that I am writing for the right reasons, not personal or financial. This last motivation is very difficult for me as having a second income that is not animal or drought affected is very important for us at present. There are no other jobs going around in the bush now.

Born in Mount Isa, the eldest of five children of Salvation Army officers, Helen Brown lived an almost nomadic life until she was fifteen years of age. However, she discovered books as a preteen and read a lot, well into the night and occasionally all night. Two stories that captured her imagination were “Anne of Green Gables” and Little Women”. Just like the heroines in these stories she wanted to write. A learning disability, which was not corrected until she was in her thirties, meant that schooling was a real struggle. It also meant that her dream seemed to be a distant mirage. The struggles of raising five children and being a wife to a shearer/farmer in a small town taught her a lot about life and the grace of God. During this time, she also completed her teaching degree and worked many casual jobs in order to ensure that the farm was viable. Today, she still lives on the farm in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.

CWD Member Interview – Ruth Amos (also writing as R. J. Amos)

Most Thursdays in 2019 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today we interview Ruth Amos

Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from. 

I am the daughter of missionaries and both my grandfathers were Anglican ministers. I’ve been brought up in the church my whole life and I’m grateful for the spiritual inheritance I have.

Pretty much straight out of high school I got married and had my two wonderful children. When my youngest was one year old I began my undergraduate science degree and ended up going right through to complete a PhD in chemistry. I then worked as a lecturer and researcher for eight years. In the middle of that time I decided that what I really wanted to do was write. So I started listening to podcasts on writing, watching YouTube videos, and, of course, actually writing. I started a blog in 2016, published my first book in early 2018 and later that year I stopped working at the university and started freelancing so that I could have more time to concentrate on writing. 

I live in the most beautiful part of Australia. You don’t know where that is? It’s Tasmania, of course! I’ve lived here pretty much my whole life and I’m content to live here for the rest if that’s what God wants me to do. My house has views of Mt Wellington/kunanyi and the Derwent River. I love to walk on the beach near my home, and I love the friendships I have in my local community.

Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

My novels (written as R. J. Amos) are mysteries. Cosy mysteries in the style of Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers. I found when I was struggling with my work life, that cosy mysteries were a really great escape. There’s not too much tension (unlike thrillers), not too much emotion, and you know that the bad guy will be caught in the end. I lived on a steady diet of cosies for years, so when it came time to write, that was the obvious choice.

I have a series called the Deadly Miss series which are mysteries set at universities where I have worked – The University of Tasmania for the first two, and for the one I’m currently writing, The University of Sydney. I thought that people might like to see what working at a university is actually like. They say ‘write what you know’ so that’s where I started. When I was at the university my colleagues were excited about my writing and would greet me in the hallway by saying, ‘Ruth, I’ve thought of a new way for you to kill someone!’ We used to brainstorm murder methods over morning tea.

Just lately I challenged myself to write some short stories using prompts that my husband found for me on Reddit. I had no choice in the prompts and some of them were suited to mystery, but many were science fiction (So. Many. Aliens.) and a few were fantasy. They were so much fun to write that when I finish the mystery I’m working on now (the third in the Deadly Miss series) I’m thinking I might try my hand at a different genre. Just for fun.

I have also written a memoir/self-help book called ‘My Year of Saying No.’ This book is written under my Ruth Amos author name as it is much more solidly Christian and is non-fiction. 

I hope that my writing is uplifting, that it helps out others who might need a place of peace to escape to. But mostly I write because writing makes me very happy, it feels just right to do it. 

Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

I was very surprised when I launched my first novel in May of 2018, and my memoir a week later (it just worked out like that – crazy) to find that so many of my friends and colleagues were happy to put their money where their mouth was and buy my book. I had built a reader network without even knowing it.

The people who like my books like mysteries but don’t like gore or profanity. Many of my readers are women over 40, possibly because I fit in that demographic and I write books that I want to read. Many of my readers are in Tasmania and they enjoy seeing local landmarks in the books. I hope that my audience will continue to grow, though I’m sure the growth will be fairly slow as it seems to depend greatly on word of mouth. I’m hoping that as people from the rest of Australia and the world read my little mysteries they will be tempted to come down to Tasmania and see if it’s as beautiful as I say it is.

Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I write first thing. We have one child still at home but he’s a uni student now so I don’t need to worry about getting him ready for school or anything. So once my husband has left for work, I head down to my office and fire up my computer. I find that using Scrivener helps me fall into the story a little easier as I don’t use that software for any other type of work or writing. I write for an hour or so and then get on with my other jobs – I work as an academic editor for my ‘day job’. 

On Tuesdays I don’t write first-thing, because in the afternoons I run a writing session at a local church. We open up the hall and people bring their own projects, we write for about two hours. On Thursdays I do a similar thing at a local café. I’m always there for the set two hours, and others join me as they can.

I think my biggest challenge in my writing is ‘show don’t tell’ I am always ‘telling’, and then I go back over and rewrite so that I can ‘show’ instead. 

The thing that helps me the most is my outline. It’s a very brief outline – just a list of scenes – and it’s by no means comprehensive. But if I have a scene to write, then I know where I’m starting, and I can just sit down and write. I tried ‘discovery writing’ (pantsing) once, and I found I didn’t get to the writing because I didn’t feel like I had enough energy to decide what to write. I would procrastinate like crazy. An outline works for me like a writing prompt, it gets me going. And once I’m going, I find it easy to continue.

What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

The Art of Slow Writing by Louise De Salvo. She suggests keeping a writing journal and I have found that very, very helpful. Before each session I write a few words about how I feel about the writing, and what I’m trying to do. After the session I write about how I think it went. I also jot down questions in my writing journal about plot or character or whatever is on my mind at the time. It’s helpful to go through the journal after I think I’ve finished a book and make sure that I’ve answered all of my own questions. 

If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Megan Sayer is a writer who has been very helpful to me. Especially when I was just starting out. She read my very first draft and kindly but firmly told me what was wrong with it. And there was so much wrong with it. Four drafts later I had a book I was happy to publish. I’m not sure I could have done it without her. She’s a brilliant writer and her blogs are both amusing and insightful. 

What are your writing goals for 2019? How will you achieve them?

So far this year, I have published a book of short stories, I’m about to publish a stand-alone novel – Small Town Trouble – and I hope to finish the third book in the Deadly Miss series. 

On the non-fiction side I want to publish a book of transcripts from my podcast (A Quiet Life), which is stories of people living their faith in their daily lives. I’ve interviewed all sorts of people, from school teachers to people working in prison ministry. Their stories are inspirational and I’m sharing them however I can.

I’m achieving these goals by attaching the seat of my pants to the seat of my chair and putting the work in each day. There’s so much that interrupts the writing and it’s easy to get discouraged, so I’m trying to keep my goals clear and keep a record of what I accomplish each day, so I don’t lose heart. I’m finding right now that fun animal stickers that say, ‘good job’ and ‘excellent work’ are helping me keep going. I stick them in my daily planner once I’ve ticked off all my jobs for the day.

How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

On the non-fiction side that’s easy. In my blog, podcast, and memoir I’m writing to Christians, encouraging them to live their lives for Jesus. 

On the fiction side I’m hoping that my work shows enough excellence that people of all walks of life want to read it. My main character goes to church, and she models care for others. I also have tried to portray a good marriage relationship – not a marriage that is full of distrust and infidelity, but a marriage where the partners work to overcome conflict and actually talk with each other. So I don’t necessarily write ‘Christian Fiction’ but more fiction that is informed by my faith and hopefully waters the seed that has been planted and brings people a little closer to the Lord.

In everything I write, I want God to get the glory. 

R. J. Amos is the author of the Deadly Miss series. She left her academic career in chemistry behind in 2018, choosing to concentrate instead on writing novels. She loves to walk on the beach with her husband, read cosy mysteries in front of the fire, eat chocolate, and drink coffee (though it’s mostly decaf these days). She has two grown-up kids and she lives in Tasmania — the best place in God’s good earth.

Her websites are www.ruthamos.com.au and www.rjamos.com