Five Tips on How Not to Become a Writer (A Seriously Write Blog)

Come check out this tongue-in-cheek, motivational speech/workshop on being the very best non-writer you want to be. These five tips are all the things writer wannabees can do to make sure they never follow any dreams.

And for the actual writer, these are five things that will definitely keep you from being all that you could be.

So, sit back, have a laugh and read on... 

Enjoy!

Do you have a story to tell? Do you have a book inside you just waiting to be written? Are you looking for ways to squash those feelings so you won’t be viewed by your peers as a weirdo who likes to spend more time with his computer than his buddies? Want that desire to die so you can say yes when your girlfriends ask you to join them for a ladies’ night out? Well, look no further. I have “Five Tips on How Not to Become a Writer.” Or you can call them “Five Secrets of the Not-So-Successful Writer Wannabee.” Or how about “Five Keys to Burying Your Foolish Dreams of Becoming a New York Times Bestselling Author”?

Regardless of the title of this workshop, you are going to learn ways that will help you take the necessary detours around the glamourous, eighty-hour a week, hermit-like life of the average author so that you can live a normal, human existence. So, let’s get started!

Tip #1: If first you don’t succeed, keep it up.

Ninety-percent of the battle of having a good day at work is showing up. If you don’t show up, you may have a great day somewhere else, but it won’t be at work. Same goes for writing. If you never sit down to write, it won’t get written. So, don’t do it. If you go to the donut shop instead, eat an extra glazed donut and have another glorious cup of donut shop coffee. If the beach is calling, pick up the phone. Make that date. And don’t take your computer. Computers hate sand and water. Remember, the worst thing you can do is believe in yourself and start writing.

 Tip #2: Social media should be your daily companion.

If you do make the mistake of turning on your computer, make sure you open up a web browser and access all of your social media accounts (you should have at least five). But we suggest using your smart phone instead. This way, you can utilize this tip without being tempted to open up MS Word. A rule of thumb here is to spend no less than thirty minutes with each social media account. If you’re lucky, your desire to sit down and write will fade by account number three, and before you know it, your morning (and more importantly, the time you could have spent writing) will be gone. Remember, mankind has never produced a bigger time-wasting activity than social media. For a writer wannabee, this is golden. Use it to the fullest.

Tip #3: Give your idea to someone else, then forget about it.

Real writers not only write, they save their work. That’s because they not only want to finish it, but they want to take credit for it. But if you wish to be the best writer wannabee you can be, stay away from flash drives, jump drives, thumb drives, and external hard drives. If you happen to jot down some notes on a napkin, ala J. K. Rowling, burn them. Then, find someone you know who actually does this kind of thing for a living and give them your ideas verbally. You can even donate any research you foolishly spent time collecting so it may help them produce a work worthy of publication. They key here is for you not to have a legal leg to stand on if the book becomes the next blockbuster. You want to cut all ties. Remember, once you hand over the keys to your idea, walk away. And do it with your blessing. And if you must use a drive of some sort, make it a long one along the beach. And who knows? That writer friend who now owns your idea may even mention you in the acknowledgements.

Tip #4: Make sure you are blogging…a lot.

Blogging is a great way to help folks get to know you. It’s also a great way for writers to help other authors get exposure to new readers. It’s also a great way to help build your brand as a writer. But for you, the writer wannabee, those reasons are all the taboo. But if you must write something, write a blog nobody wants to read. Suggestions for topics could be:

• Anti-Gardening: For Those Who Hate Flowers But Love Destructive Insects
• Yo-Yo: Living in the Motherhood and Other Tales From the Crib
• Sports: For Those Who Actually Need to Participate But Don’t, or
• Creative Ways to Use Aluminum Foil Outside the Kitchen.

Why? Because when you write about these kinds of things, you won’t develop an audience. You won’t develop a brand. (Unless you’re really funny, which in that case, don’t be. Boring is the best…think: Sominex in print. The last thing you want is to become a stand-up comic. They travel way too much.)

We also recommend writing as many blogs as you can in a month, then add about five more so you never really write for any of them with any consistency. Remember, there are two major foci here: You want your blogs to monopolize your time, and you want your blogs to make you look like an unmarketable oddball. Accomplish this, and you are well on your way to the writer wannabee life.

Tip #5: If you read, read anything but books on writing.

One of the most dangerous acts a writer wannabee can perform is talking to an actual writer. If you do, they will begin to tell you about their latest project. They also will tell you about how their published works are doing because to be polite, you will have started off the conversation by asking, “So, how are your books doing?” Don’t do that. Why? Because they may tickle your fancied, inner writer. They may even get you interested in wanting to know more. And if you fall completely down the rabbit hole of temptation, you may even ask more questions, which will turn your five-minute, superficial, “Rats, they saw me…I guess I’ll have to say hello now” conversation in the grocery store into an Amazon Prime order of books on the craft of writing, grammar, parts of speech, sentence structure, plot, and all those other terms you hated in your high school English class. Remember, if you read, read for fun. Maybe even for personal edification. But never about writing.

I hope this has helped you learn the ways of a non-writer. Think of this class as a “Writer Wannabees 101” class. There are more tips we can share at a later date, but for now, start with these.

I guarantee you, if you employ the secrets I have shared with you, you will be living the life of a writer wannabee in no time.

To read this post on the Seriously Write website, click -  Five Tips on How Not to Become a Writer.

My First of three Author Interviews by Lena Nelson Dooley

I was fortunate and honored to be interviewed by Lena Nelson Dooley on her blog.

Here's an excerpt:

Welcome, Kevin. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I’ve been told some of the phrases I use come out in the dialogue of characters. “I hear you say that,” my readers will tell me. But overall, I try to use certain things from time to time to help make the character more authentic. I remember putting into the manuscript of The Serpent’s Grasp a description of a car Micah Gregson used to own that caused him to purchase the car he owned now, a red Mustang Cobra. The car he “used to own back in the day” was a red 1971 Mach 1 Mustang with a 351 Cleveland. That was the car I had in high school and when we were first married (boy, do I wish I still had it now). Unfortunately, that recollection of Micah got axed in the final edit. However, he is driving the Mustang Cobra when he gets followed by the FBI agent, trying to find a news station that carries late, breaking news, and wishing he hadn’t allowed his satellite subscription to expire (another personal piece of info about me, by the way).

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’ve sat here for ten minutes, and I can’t think of much. I even asked my wife, who’s known me since we were 15. She can’t either. So, I guess I’m not a very “quirky” person. More on the conservative side when it comes to my actions, I guess. However, I suppose it depends on who’s watching, too. Some people would say becoming a writer is a little quirky. “How can you sit at a computer for hours on end?” Ever heard that one? I’ve also had others “say”—not with their words so much but more with their looks and actions—that becoming a follower of Christ is quirky, if not borderline crazy.

When did you first discover you were a writer?

I had an inkling when I was in middle school. Creating stories was an interest, for sure. However, I really didn’t have anyone around who noticed or encouraged it growing up, and there weren’t the opportunities available back then like there are now for young writers (which maybe answers why I wasn’t encouraged?). I finally got more serious about it in my mid-thirties, got more serious about it in my mid-forties, and now, here I am, wishing I’d gotten serious about it way sooner.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

With fiction, I enjoy mysteries and thrillers and wander around that section of the bookstore the most. That doesn’t mean I won’t pick up something else and give it a try, like a speculative fiction work or a science fiction piece. As for non-fiction, that’s all over the map, depending on what I’m doing. Christian spiritual growth books, if I want to read something for personal edification. Books about education, which are related to my day job as an assistant principal at a middle school (that job choice may qualify as quirky, too). Books about the subject I am researching for a novel I am writing. If you look at the bibliography in the back of The Serpent’s Grasp (and yes there is one…I put it there for a reason…), then you’ll get an idea of what I’m talking about here.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Sanity? What’s that? I work in a middle school. And I’m a writer. Doesn’t get much more insane than that. Especially in this day and age of school shootings and brick-and-mortar store closings. But hey, you can’t say that I’m a bystander in the game of life. I’m right in the middle of the action. 

Through it all, though, the only thing that keeps me even-keeled is Christ. If I wasn’t a Christian, I’d probably be in prison by now. Some of the thoughts that cross our minds at times are far from Christ-like. Understandable, maybe, but miles away from unconditional love. So God helps me stay on track, especially when I start to jump the rails. I do have to admit that as the days get darker and the pressure gets more constrictive, I’m finding the need for more time with Him. But my biggest struggle is I don’t deal with “stupid” and “foolishness” very well. I have always had very little patience for it, and that is wearing thin these days. I understand when people get upset about things that are unfair or even teeter on the line of being criminal or not (we’d all probably be upset if we were in those shoes). But there is so much foolishness going on today, so much stupidity, and so much senselessness. For example, humans taking challenges like eating Tide pods. Really? Back in the day, those teens would be working on a farm somewhere or learning a trade that would eat up all the free time they have. Or what about those who take a stand on political, divisive subjects they have no clue how to truly solve (but they’ll tell you how to solve it so it helps their cause)? The Apostle Paul’s description of minds thinking, acting, behaving, and believing as if they were seared with a hot iron was never truer than it is today. And all this drives me to God more and more. Personally, I don’t know how He does it (doesn’t destroy us all), or how He did it (died on a cross to save us). I know why (love). But to know and to act are two very different things. I guess that’s what makes Him God and me a fallen human.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

You know, that’s a good question. Some are just random. I need a certain name, and I’ll scan the books on my shelf to see if one jumps out at me. Other times, I’ll run across a name I really like and jot it down for future reference. In many cases, because the names are nationalistically important, I’ll do a web search of “Russian surnames” or “Hispanic female first names,” for example, and choose one after researching it further to verify that it would work. But my favorite way has been when I have assigned the names of my children and grandchildren to secondary characters in my books. I try to use them creatively, and not use them exactly like the real name. Like, for example, making my grandson’s first name the last name of a deputy.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m assuming you’re talking about writing accomplishments? Because I’d say being married for over 36 years is quite an accomplishment, especially with everything my wife and I have been through. J As for the writing, my proudest moment was when my book, The Serpent’s Grasp, won the 2013 Selah Award at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference for first fiction (debut novel). My second proudest moment was when my second novel, 30 Days Hath Revenge (A Blake Meyer Thriller – Book 1), won second place in the 2013 Readers’ Favorite awards for Christian Fiction. I found out later that the only reason it didn’t win first place was because of the cover, which I admit was not that tantalizing. This book has since come out in second edition with a new, great-looking cover.

I was surprised and honored when my novel Maggie’s Journey won the Selah for long historical. I had only won one other major prize at that time.  If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Probably a cheetah. I could outrun anything trying to catch me and outrun anything I’m trying to catch. And I’d have the tools needed to defend myself from most anything. Next would be a tiger. Wouldn’t be able to run as fast, but I’d better better-looking. J

What is your favorite food?

That’s a tie between an inch-thick, medium-well ribeye steak cooked to perfection with a slight char on the outside (I’m channeling my inner Guy Fieri here) and a good pepperoni pizza (preferably from a locally-owned place versus chain stores). If I could eat these two things every day and not gain an ounce, that would be heavenly.

Good luck with that. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

When my first two novels were published, the publisher who had them started having problems (a common tale these days). They stopped publishing new titles, and became very hard to get a hold of. Although they were still “in business,” I was not receiving any monies from sales either. During this time, I acquired an agent. We both agreed that getting the rights back would be the best option, since publisher was, by that time, in breach of contract. It took well over a year to see that come to pass. Because my second book, 30 Days Hath Revenge, was the beginning of a series, it really caused issues because most publishers don’t want to reprint the first book in a series. As a result, we had to “self-publish” that book and the subsequent books in the series (I put it in quotes because it’s a bit of a different process than your typical self-pub route). My agent did find a home for my first novel, and it was reprinted by Hallway Publishing last summer.

Now, we have four books out. Book 4 of the Blake Meyer series, When the Clock Strikes Fourteen, is coming out later this year. Books 5 and 6 will complete the series in 2018.

Tell us about the featured book.

The featured book is 30 Days Hath Revenge. The overarching theme of the series is, “What is true peace?” We hear about that topic a lot these days. So did the Israelites in the days of Jeremiah…right before the Babylonians showed up. It’s this biblical scenario that has given me the bones from which to develop this story.

In my Blake Meyer Thriller Series, SSA Blake Meyer is the biggest patriot out there. He’s served his country in the military. He’s worked undercover. He has Black Ops training. And now he’s part of the FBI as a means of keeping tabs on certain people. Nobody bleeds red, white, and blue more than him.

It’s this past that raises its ugly head when a man by the name of Colin Murphy, who Blake actually worked with 15 years prior, organizes a diabolical plot to release a deadly, weaponized contagion with no known cure within the major cities of the U.S. as an act of revenge. This attack is being orchestrated by several big financial players from around the world, who are using Murphy to help bring the U.S. to its knees so it can use economic espionage to finally topple a nation they would never be able to beat militarily.

Blake is the only one who knows all about the past, and he has now been tasked by the president to lead the effort at finding the people responsible before it’s too late.

Please give us the first page of the book.

June 14

Four Years Earlier

Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa

A Congolese man stumbled down a narrow, filthy alley clutching his chest. He staggered like a drunken man, bouncing back and forth off the walls like a pinball as he traversed its length.

He burst forth into a swarm of people in an open market and scanned the crowd before grabbing his head with both hands. He took a few more lumbering steps before falling face-first into the busy dirt road.

He rolled onto his back with a grimace, and his body contorted and writhed in agony. Mouthing something inaudible, he mustered the strength to flip over to his stomach.

Pounding the ground with his fist, he willed himself to his hands and knees. His labored breathing and internal pain caused his entire frame to heave in a distressed, desperate dance.

The ailing man finally rose to his feet. His well-worn clothes puffed plumes of dust as he teetered toward a passing ambulance, attempting to flag it down. Frantic but unable to wave his arms, he watched the vehicle turn the corner and disappear behind a building. He shook his head in despair and raised his arms in disbelief. Unintelligible words were overcome with tears as the man collapsed into a sobbing heap.

Seconds later, the man’s body shook with a violent force. Then, as if a great cable or rope was wrapped around his midsection, pulling him to the clouds, he arched his back and let out a horrific cry. As the man’s howl subsided, his body eased back down to the ground like a deflating balloon.

To read this post on Lena Nelson Dooley's website, click HERE!

The Author Behind the Story Series - Ward Tanneberg

Hello, Everybody! We've had a couple of month lull in our series, but it's picking back up again with a great author who has an interesting story. That's one of the things I love about this job - getting to meet new people. And although it's through the cyberspatial realms of blogs, social media, and the like, we eventually get to meet face to face at writers conferences, as well as other events.

So, welcome to the Florida front porch! Pull up a chair. The iced tea is ready (it's already been in the high 80's here). Sit back, relax, and let's have a chat with my next guest, Ward Tanneberg!

Hi, Ward. For those readers who do not know you yet, why don't you give them a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Ward Tanneberg?

I’ve been in active ministry for 58 years, beginning as a young evangelist, serving as a denominational youth director, college public relations director, pastor in three churches, lecturer, adjunct professor, writer, blogger, novelist, and nonprofit organization executive director. I have spoken in hundreds of churches, adult retreats and ministry conferences, and meet with Christian business leaders, active and retired, in my living room on Wednesday mornings. I currently consult with Ministry Resources International and serve on the board since the very beginning of Assist International, and continue to speak in churches, retreats, and conferences. I’ve visited over 50 foreign countries, some several times. For example, my 11^th visit to Israel leading a group will be in 2019.

Wow. That's a rich, full life, and one part of that has been writing. Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story?

My favorite story/book is always the one I’m writing now that has yet to see the light of day. Book manuscripts are to me like embryonic children still being formed, yet unnamed, and hoping for parents that someday will love and nurture them to success.

The memoir, Sacred Journey, is my newest true story. In fiction, I keep trying to make the next one better than the last. In that regard, it would be Redeeming Grace, a thriller that won a 2015 Bronze Jerry Jenkins Illumination Award.

Congratulations! It's always a great feeling to have others validate your writing with some type of award or recognition. Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

I was the lead (only) pastor, in my early 20s, in my first church when I wrote an article for Pulpit magazine (now non-existent). It was accepted and they even paid … 10 cents a word! I was on my way. They published several more of my articles. I like to think it wasn’t my work that drove them out of business.

That's funny, and I'm sure it wasn't. You mentioned you were a pastor as well as how you have held numerous positions, etc. What educational background do you have?

I graduated with a class of 17 from Coulee City HS, a farming community in eastern Washington state; 2 yrs Central Bible College, Springfield MO; B.A. in Bible/Theology, Northwest University, Kirkland WA; graduate studies at Western Evangelical Seminary (now George Fox Theological Seminary), Portland OR and Seattle Pacific University, Seattle WA; Ph.D., California Graduate School of Theology, La Habra CA; additional: Core Coaching Skills; graduate FBI Citizens Academy; Stephen Ministries LTC.

FBI Citizens Academy, huh? Didn't know they had such a thing... Are you married? Single? Have kids? 

Dixie changed her address to heaven on 04 Aug 2015. We met while I was a 17-year-old Bible college student traveling with the King’s Ambassadors Quartet. We were married in Tulsa OK and soon after moved to the West Coast. We were married just over 59 years. We have two married children, 3 grandchildren, 4 step-grandchildren, and 2 great grandsons. 

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's passing, but the hope we have as believers of it not being the end, but instead a new beginning, is joyous. And congratulations on 59 years. That's becoming more and more of a rarity. 

I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite.

Favorite Song of All-Time: The Prayer tops the list of many favorites

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Falling Upward by Richard Rohr is probably my most recent favorite; again it’s hard to pick just one.

Favorite Bible Verse: Philippians 1:6 my mother sent me off to college with this verse.

Favorite Movie: North by Northwest (1959); Hidden Figures (2016)

Favorite TV Show: Blue Bloods (That is one of our favorites as well)

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Vicar of Christ by Walter F. Murphy

Favorite Author (other than you): Henri Nouwen

Favorite Sport: golf (I loved football, baseball, racquetball, tennis and played all of these at various stages, but I’m down to golf now. My dad taught me the game and I never ever beat him.

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): Mariners baseball team

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: PE

Favorite Subject Now: theology reflected in maturing adults

Favorite Teacher in School: Mrs. Neff, a no-nonsense elementary school teacher

Favorite Time of the Year: Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter in that order here in the Pacific Northwest

Favorite Place to Vacation: the California desert

Favorite Drink: Water, coffee

Favorite Food: Cheese and onion enchiladas and other things Mexican

If your life was a story, and you were the lead character, what kind of role would you play? 

I like to think I’d be John Cain, the lead pastor in several of my novels.

 

For all the pet lovers out there, answer this question: Do you have any?

I have a 9-month-old, 54 pound, muscular Labradoodle named GAGE. He’s been the amusing topic of a couple of my ‘almost’ weekly Perspective blog posts. He’s near or on my feet while I am writing this.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus?

The Apostle John who managed to do his best and most lasting work while in his late 80s, early 90s as an apostolic writer. I hope the same can be said for my work as well.

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?

Mmm...Does sitting at a freeway crossroads with suitcases packed and flipping a coin to see which direction we would go (north or south) for our vacation qualify? How about kneeling by the side of a busy highway, watching an ant attempt to cross without getting run over? We were on a family bicycle ride from San Francisco to Mexico at the time. The ant made it. So did we.

I feel a song about high hopes coming on...

Why do you live where you live?

I like ‘extreme’ weather locations, for example, I’ve lived on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state (144 inches of rain annually); the California desert (very little rain and extreme heat in summers); and the Pacific Northwest (clouds and rain) where I now live in a low-rise condo surrounded by people in the heart of downtown Bellevue, WA.

There seem to be a great many writers in the Pacific Northwest...Does that have to do with the fact that you all have to stay indoors so much because of the rain? Just curious...

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

When I find a fiction author I like, I read as much of him or her as is possible, studying writing styles as I go. Catherine Coulter would be one. Lee Child, Joel Rosenberg, David Baldacci, John Grisham and others I read in the thriller environment.

In non-fiction, I find Roman Catholic writers, like Joan Chittister, Henri Nouwen, and Richard Rohr to be some of the very best. 

When you look for a new home, what are the things that are important to you? 

In the city I prefer a condominium lifestyle; in the desert I like a gated community like Sun City. Lawns may be the most beautiful curse man brings upon himself, so I enjoy the beauty, but haven’t mowed one in 40 years.

Oh, I like how you think. Can I use that line next week when I have to mow again? I'd hate for anybody to curse me.

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you?

Back cover copy and word of mouth are the two things catching my attention. Also a familiar author’s name that I like.

Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author?

My most difficult day was Valentine’s Day, 2014, when my wife received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Without therapy she was given 3-6 months. She chose therapy, wanting to hold her yet unborn second grandson in her arms. She lived 18 months. She was always a “teaching moment” to those whom she served as a pastor to women in two churches. That being the case, she agreed to let me write her story, filled with “teaching moments” that has since been published as the memoir book, Sacred Journey.

That is awesome. Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

My current embryonic project is about “Life InBetween,” where we discover it’s not the high notes that thrill us, nor the mountain peaks that define us. A faith that transforms, that counts as right standing with God, is a faith bringing us straight to the heart of Jesus, who says, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” This kind of faith is shaped in the “InBetweens.”

So I pick the man who was “called a friend of God,” and have begun unpacking the story of Abraham, whose greatest moments were not high points of success, but rather his “Life InBetween” such moments that shaped his faith journey. I’m using a combination of fiction, historical and biblical narrative, and life application. Not heavy, but meaty enough. When I write, I write for persons who were once broken, as well as persons who are broken still. Both are always at the very core of how and what I write.

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing? 

I usually write in the mornings. I’m the freshest during morning hours. If I awaken in the very early hours, I may sit in bed and write.

I compose blogs one day a week, targeting living, learning, leading in life’s second half. My blogs touch on humor, pathos, marriage, family, leadership, church, retirement, anything that people in life’s so-called second half must face. Personally, I no longer speak or write about life in halves, but in thirds, but this is another subject matter.

In fiction, I am more of a pantser, with loose outlines that permit lots of things to “happen” rather than be tightly held together. However, I continue to learn as a storyteller, always seeking fresh approaches and insights. Currently I am enrolled in Jerry Jenkins’ online novel writing course and learning a good deal.

Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others?

If you really are a writer, you will face discouragement, rejection, whatever, but you will keep learning and growing. And you will not quit.

Great advice, Ward. Starting is hard enough. Completing a book is even more difficult. But seeing it through to publication and beyond, well, that's an entirely different matter altogether.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

I have written several inspirational thriller novels; a memoir of particular interest to caregivers of those suffering with cancer is Sacred Journey, my most recent work. I have lived 81 years. It is important that those of us in life’s “final third” share, with young and maturing adults, what life while being followers of Jesus has taught us.

Amen. As I get older, my perspective has changed. I used to dislike mornings. Now, they're not so bad. Time spent on seemingly worthless endeavors (like mowing the lawn!!!) are now "hours I'm not going to get back." It's so true.

Thank you, Ward, for taking time out of your writing life to spent some time with our readers. May God continue to bless you and your ministries.

Dear reader, if you wish to learn more about Dr. Tanneberg's writing ministry, check out the links below and the book descriptions.

Website: www.wardtanneberg.com

Facebook: @wardtann

LinkedIn: Ward Tanneberg

Twitter: @WardTanneberg

Sacred Journey, a memoir (2016)

From an Amazon customer: What a privilege to be invited into this very personal “sacred journey”. Life lessons abound! Be prepared to feel the pain and suffering of Dixie’s “Enemy Cancer.” The Enemy was brutal. Be prepared to encounter true love and commitment in action. Rare these days. Be prepared to experience genuine faith lived out and see hope penetrate throughout the “journey.” An incredible woman of substance and faith. Beautifully honest. Full of hope.
 

2) Redeeming Grace, a novel (2015 Jerry Jenkins Illuminations Bronze Award)

From the back cover: Seven years ago, Grace Grafton died in a boating accident while partying on the Georgia, South Carolina coast. Was her death the result of alcohol and drugs or something more sinister? Nobody knows: her body was never recovered. Now years later, a woman reads in disbelief the note addressed to her: Hello Grace, did you think we wouldn't find you?

Those nine chilling words end Grafton's self-imposed sanctuary of witness protection. Now she and everyone she loves are in grave danger. Long believed dead, she has a secret that can change the future of America. She knows the man running for president is guilty of a double murder! But who will believe her?

Until next time, may God bless you, and may you bless God!

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com
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