Have you noticed it? The shift in mentality? Ever since the pandemic, people have had time to evaluate things. What seemed so important on February 2020 suddenly were not so much after March 2020. I know, for me, a great many things crystalized. God has used the last nineteen months to sharpen my focus and has forced me to make decisions...ones I am happy I've made.
One of those decisions is to spend a lot more time in His Word...much ore than I was spending before. More time in prayer. More time focusing on His will, as opposed to mine and everybody's else's.
As a result, I've decided to change the format of this particular blog. Instead of having an author featured every month, I have decided to change that to once a quarter, meaning we will feature an author each March, June, September, and December.
Another change is the creation of a new blog which will appear on my website once a month, beginning the third Monday of January. It will be a "devotional" type of blog, wherein I will post a portion of a chapter of a new book I've been writing that I decided to reveal in this way, instead of going through traditional publishing means. You'll see it appear on my website under the "Author's Blogs" section and will be called The King and His Kingdom: Viewing This Life Through the Eyes of the Almighty. Be on the lookout in January 2022.
Therefore, as we shift on this blog from once a month to once a quarter, we welcome our last, but definitely not the least, author to the Florida Front Porch! Please welcome to ABTS, Fellow Scrivenings Press author, Erin Howard!
Erin, in ABTS style, give us a quick bio.
In fifty words or less, who is Erin Howard?
Hi! I’m Erin R. Howard, YA fantasy author of The Kalila Chronicles, freelance developmental editor, and a small business owner of a retail store where I can fuel my craft addictions. I live in Western Kentucky with my husband and three kiddos.
What educational background do you have?
I have a BA in Creative Writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. I went back to school in 2012 after having two of my kids and then opened a retail store and got pregnant with my third child, all while going to school full-time online. It was a crazy, busy, and stressful time, but so worth it.
To help our readers get to know you a little better, what makes you cringe?
I absolutely cringe at the sound of Styrofoam rubbing together. If it happens while we are in the car (take out boxes or drinks), they will immediately yell, “I know, I know, I’ll get it!”
I think we all have our pet peeves when it comes to noises, right?
If you had your life to live over again, besides being an author (which we guess would be your obvious answer), what profession would you choose?
A movie director/producer.
Besides storytelling, what talents do you have?
I love to crochet and do anything craft-related. Before I opened my retail store, I taught cake decorating.
Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author?
My son was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2016, just two days after Christmas. He was in treatment for almost three years. He is doing well and has been finished with chemo for two years, but this experience changed everything. There was the Erin before he was sick and the Erin after.
I'll bet. And we're so glad to hear about his progress!
Do you ever receive negative reviews from readers? If so, how do you respond when you see them?
I have. It’s something that every writer faces because our stories are not going to be for everyone, and that’s okay. It doesn’t make it easier, but I try to remember that when I see one pop up. I think since I write about the supernatural, it’s easy for some people to get upset because it doesn’t follow the scriptures 100%. I am a Christian. However, I write clean fantasy. It’s not going to be theologically sound because it’s fantasy. I write about darker themes so readers can find light in their darkness and know that there’s hope.
Tell us about what project you are currently working on.
I’m working on a brand-new series called Gates of Deceit. It’s a YA dystopian series about a teenage girl that gets locked out of her community and has to survive out in the forest they are all forbidden to enter. It’s suspenseful and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The first book, Beyond the Gates, releases May 2020.
I love to look up names in Hebrew or Latin that have meanings that pertain to the themes of my story. I also love names that are spelled differently with the letter “K." For example, my main character in The Kalila Chronicles is named Viktor instead of Victor.
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, and why?
A long time ago, I dreamed the angel Gabriel sat down with me, and I got to ask questions about spiritual warfare. So I think I would have to go with that.
Interesting choice. Not your typical "person" chosen. :-)
When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you?
I love to read, but I’m always so busy that I have to be very picky at what I pick up. I have a wide variety of genres that I enjoy, but fantasy is my favorite. IF the cover catches my eye, then I will read the back cover copy. IF that sounds interesting, I will turn to the first chapter. IF the opening sentence is a hook, I will keep reading, but it has to keep my interest within the first few pages, or I put it down.
What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?
The verse that carried me through my son’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. A few months before he got sick, Ex 14:14 came up in my Bible reading, and I started studying it in Hebrew/Greek Study Bible. I wrote out everything that God told me that day about learning how to be still to let Him fight for you. When Gabriel got sick, I believe it was my sister, sent me that verse, not knowing that I just spent months studying and thinking about it. It was my confirmation that Gabriel was going to be okay.
How awesome! God is good. What a great way to wind things up! Erin, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?
Thank
you so much, Kevin, for having me on your blog! I love to connect with and hear
from my readers, so I hope that you will check out my website and follow me on
social media. I’m most active on TikTok, FB, and Instagram.
Website: https://erinrhoward.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@erinrhoward
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/E.R.H.Fiction/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErinRHoward
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinrhoward/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erinrhoward/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/c386-H
Crafty Pages YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCchg-XMNW2b7GTjnfF2wYHg
Once Upon a Page YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiu-jq-KE-VMIjbtmGLbJA
Readers, thank you for stopping by! And remember, we will continue building this "database" of authors, it will just shift to four times a year.
May you all have a wonderful Christmas, a joyous New Year, and don't forget to check out my new blog in January!
Kevin
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