Confessions of a Middle School Administrator (An ACFW Blog Post)

Like many of my writing colleagues, I have two jobs. The one I had when I entered this crazy business we call “writing,” and the job of being an author, marketer, bookseller, and all the other hats we authors wear. For me, one is by day, and one is by night. The first one “pays the bills,” and I often hope the second one will usurp the role of the first one someday.

At least, that is what I’ve been saying since my first book was published. Because, you see, that wasn’t what I was saying when I was an unpublished author. When I was unpublished, my mantra was, “All I want to do is get published. It would be so cool to be a published author!” However, something happened to me once I got published and tasted the “published” fruit. It was good. So, I wanted a little more. Then, I won an award with that book and was given other accolades in other venues with the same work. And you guessed it. It was good. And I wanted a little more.

It’s not that I don’t like being an administrator (specifically an assistant principal in a public school setting). I like working with the kids. I’m not a big fan of all the politics. Nevertheless, I fully understand, albeit in a bit of a different context, what Jesus said in Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. Of course, Jesus then went on to say, You cannot serve both God and money, speaking to the issue of who or what really has our undying and complete allegiance.

The concept of a split loyalty/faithfulness has application beyond the curse of money, though. It speaks to the issue of being divided. That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 12:25, Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. Notice its starts big (kingdom), then it gets smaller (city), then even smaller (household). Back in Matthew 6:24, it gets even smaller (the human heart). The point is, having a divided allegiance is counter-productive, and it doesn’t matter what those things or people are, fighting for your time, money, and efforts. It can be something like not being able to devote the time needed to keep a deadline, for example. It could be the bugaboo of having too many irons in the fire, burning the midnight oil, and simply forgetting about something until you’re reminded of it (like the writing of a blog article for ACFW, for example). 🙂

In our world as writers, many of us fight the “divided loyalty” battle. Probably the biggest fight is having the “two jobs,” but there can be others. How about writing vs. the every day, “we’ve got a birthday party coming up this weekend,” family life? How about writing vs. being a spouse? Writing vs. being active in your local church? There are so many things clamoring for our time and efforts. When you sit down and analyze it under the microscope of Jesus’ words, it seems almost impossible “to be all things to all people so that we might save some” (cf. I Corinthians 9:19-23).

However, in Matthew 6, the context around verse 24 gives this verse a different flavor. That’s why context is always king. Same thing goes for Matthew 12 and I Corinthians 9. Read the context, and it is clear. Amongst the battles of life, two jobs, money, family, even mere physical existence, Jesus tells us not to worry about the things you must have to survive and the things you need to get along in this life. If you seek His kingdom first, He’ll supply all those other things (Matthew 6:33). We must be the kind of followers of Jesus who produce good fruit. Not just with our writing. That’s only a part of who we are. If it’s all you are, then may I suggest you stop writing and seek God’s face? He has bigger plans for you than that.

Which is better? To sell a million books? Or to win five souls for the kingdom? I would hope we all would choose the latter. But I wonder how many of us would try and justify the former by attempting to marry the two into a gospelized justification for our writing careers: “I write my books in order to save people.” I’m not saying it can’t be done or isn’t done. I know books can be tools God uses to reach into the human heart. He does it all the time. The Bible being the best of the bunch! What I am saying is this: Make sure your allegiance is aligned properly. What Jesus was talking about was ownership. When He said “you can’t serve two masters,” he was speaking of a slave and his/her owner.

So, who owns you? God or your writing? If God took your writing away from you, could you survive? And what would you do with yourself?

Who owns you? God or your publisher? God or your editor? We would hope that if they are all Christians, everyone would be on the same page, right? But the Pharisees and Sadducees thought they were on the right track, too. We are so quick to throw stones at those groups of religious leaders when we read about them in scripture. Yet, I often wonder if we 21st century Christians don’t resemble them more than Jesus when it comes to the issue of allegiance and ownership. (Just another confession here, that’s all. Not pointing any fingers, except at myself.)

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:20 that we were purchased by God with the blood of Jesus. If God owns us, then we shouldn’t allow other things or people (writing included) to become our master, telling us what to do, when to do it, and causing our lives to be counter-productive to His kingdom cause. Our writing should be an expression of Who we serve, not a monument to what we serve.

To see this blog on the ACFW website, click on the following link: Read on...

Welcome to the Cuckoo's Nest (A Seriously Write Blog Post)

I just got done with another session of Saturday School. The last one of this school year, actually (I’m writing this on May 20th). As an assistant principal of a public middle school, I must point out that there are other pieces to the educational puzzle besides reading, writing, and arithmetic. Acceptable behavior in a group setting is a biggie. Classroom disruptions derail the academic process, which is why we get together in the first place.

Unfortunately, in a society that is slowly lessening the consequences of laws and rules day by day, it’s harder to get students to understand why certain behaviors are unacceptable, especially in a school setting. I mean, they go home and hear parents and relatives talk that way, so why can’t they? They hear the profane language in the movies they watch and the music piping through their ear buds. So, why Mr. Administrator, Mrs. Teacher, do you have a problem with it?

It seems at times we fight a losing battle. In many respects, that is true. As a Christian, I also have to view life through the lens of scripture. If you’ve ever read the book of Revelation, we lose a great many people to the power of Babylon the Great by the end of chapter 20. But Jesus predicted it in Matthew 7:13. So, it doesn’t surprise me when students react the way they do.

However, a comment made by one of the Saturday School teachers today encouraged me.

In Saturday School, we do what are called LEAPS lessons. A company designed lessons that teach social-personal skills to students who have trouble with that area of life, which in many cases, stems from having never been taught proper “etiquette” by their parents (for a variety of reasons). Each time we hold Saturday School—which is an alternative punishment for a referral and part of the progressive discipline ladder—we cover three of these lessons, one an hour, from 9:00 a.m. to twelve noon. Two teachers work the students through the scenarios given, and a hearty discussion takes place on the proper manner in which to handle those situations. Such topics as “Saying ‘No’ to a Friend,” “The Authority of the School,” and “Proper Interpersonal Relationships with Your Peers” are just a few of the kinds of topics discussed.

We finished today’s session, and one of the teachers told me that the lessons were superb, and she had noticed some students—who had been frequent flyers in Saturday School earlier in the year—were no longer being assigned to attend. It was true. Some students’ behavior had improved. Between what we were doing and what the parents were doing at home, the “data” showed those students had turned the corner in the maturity department.

So, what’s this got to do with writing?

The writing life, for me, is much like being an assistant principal. The hours are long. The business is grueling. The accolades are few, and the complaints run high…as do the emotions. Society appreciates authors about as much as educational professionals these days, it seems. They think nothing of paying five dollars for a cup of coffee that takes two minutes to make, yet squawk at paying $3.99 for a book that took months to produce (and if it’s a paperback or hard cover, then it lasts for a long time, I might add, and can be passed along to others in a myriad of ways).

The writing life is a job they would never want—and they think we’re nuts for doing it unless we’re on the NYTBL and making a boatload of cash—yet, when asked if they want to swap jobs, they look at you like you’ve escaped from Bedlam Hospital. I had a parent tell me once, “I’ve got two middle schoolers, and I want to strangle them sometimes. Why would I want 700? Are you crazy?” This statement can be compared to one I heard a reader make, “Oh, I could never do that (write). I could never sit at a computer that long.” Translation? We’re nuts to sit at a keyboard for hours on end, cooped up in an office, living vicariously through characters we talk to in our heads.

But what these people don’t understand is, they need us. And so do their children. Because within the decaying fabric of American society, there is still a part of a child’s heart that knows certain things aren’t right, and so those behaviors should change. There’s also a desire within the human heart for storytelling. There are students who are learning how to co-exist with their peers (behavior) and glean material from their teachers (academics). And there are some folks who do get jazzed about a book you wrote, even if they had to buy it. It’s those students and readers who keep educators and writers running up their electric bill well into the night.

And like educators, writers too have little victories that keep them going. It may be an unexpected review on a bookseller’s website. It may be a social media post. An email, perhaps. The little nugget of encouragement that keeps you going back to the keyboard one more day, knowing that someone found your words uplifting, entertaining, or thought-provoking. Your words helped someone “turn a corner” in their life, even if it was to escape this life for a while and firmly plant themselves in another world.

Take heart, fellow writer. Like an educator, you never know when the next “Little Johnny” or “Little Janie” will grow up to be the scientist who finds the cure for a disease, and our “Little Johnnies and Janies” are the books, blogs, and articles we “pen.” For your treasures are truly not in books, computers, or words on a page that can be ruined by the mouth of a moth, the oxidation process, or the hand of a robber. Your treasures are being stored where the moth cannot fly. Where rust doesn’t exist. Where the thief cannot reach (Matthew 6:19-24).

We educators know something about this process. It’s called making a difference in the life of a person.

To see this article on the Seriously Write website, click on the following link: Read on...

Author Behind the Story Series - Janet Grunst

Greetings from the sunny South! If we do not get some rain soon, it will be the Sahara West!

It's the second Wednesday of the month. That means it's time for another page in our "Author Behind the Story" series! This marks interview #5 of the series. I hope everyone has enjoyed the series so far as much as I have. It's fun getting to know new people. It's even more fun getting to know the authors behind the titles I see on Amazon, Facebook, the store shelves of Barnes & Noble, your local, independent bookstore, and elsewhere. A book title and cover is great, especially when it's a great cover. But who is the person who wrote the pages in between? That's why we're here. So, when you finish reading this page, you can scroll down our home page and catch the rest of the series!

This month, we welcome - to the blog "Where imagination meets eternity" (drum roll, please) - Author Janet Grunst! 

Welcome, Janet! So, here we go! Give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Janet Grunst?

I grew up in a Navy family and had the opportunity to live in many different locations, mostly on the west coast and east coast, but also in Spain. I was fortunate to be able to live most of my adult life in Virginia – my favorite place of all.

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’d worked in the mortgage lending and banking industry prior to having children and knew that when the time came for me to seek employment outside the home I wanted to work in ministry. In my mid-thirties as a stay-at-home mom of two little boys I began writing two special interest columns in local papers. In one of the columns, I interviewed people in town who ran home-based businesses. It was fascinating to discover the creative things people came up with to market from their homes. That’s when the dream of writing fiction began to dog me. Could I write fiction while taking care of my children? God made a way.

That's cool. What educational background do you have?

I went to high school in Los Altos, CA and then to San Diego State for college. It was in the midst of the Vietnam War, and San Diego seemed a less hostile place for a conservative girl with a military background. I left before completing college because I was engaged to someone serving in Vietnam. When he got out of the Army, I worked in the banking industry so he could complete his college education.

So, what is your marital status? And do you have a family?

My husband and I were married in 2003. We met through Community Bible Study, the ministry I was employed in and in which we had both served for many years. Ken had a grown daughter, and I had grown sons. His son-in-law is a Colonel in the Army, my oldest son is a Commander in the Navy, and my youngest son is a Major in the National Guard in addition to being an intelligence officer in his civilian job. Ken has two grandchildren, and I have eight grandchildren, four of which are 15 month old quadruplets.   

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 Food:   healthy~ fish———less healthy~ popcorn

Favorite Drink: healthy~coffee/ice water————less healthy~diet Coke

Favorite Song:   Mary, Did You Know

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Favorite Bible Verse: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12  (It helped me to mature to being a receiver, not just a believer — from religion to relationship.)

Favorite Movie: There’s a tie 1. Pride and Prejudice (The 1995 version – most like the book – absolutely delicious!) 2. Ben Hur (The 1959 version)

Favorite Actor or Actress: That’s tough. There are many. Charlton Heston, Susan Hayward

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Pride and Prejudice

Favorite Novelist (other than you): Jane Austen

Favorite Sport: To watch – golf. To do – walking

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): The US Naval Academy – Go Navy ~ Beat Army!!!

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: History & English

Favorite Subject Now: History

Favorite Teacher in School: Can’t pick a favorite

Favorite Time of the Year: Living in Williamsburg, VA ~ it’s all good

Favorite Place to Vacation: Great Britain and Ireland

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

Milton Hershey, a man who continually failed in business, before he created his chocolate empire. He built a town, homes, hospital, and schools for his employees and the needy.

I didn't know that about him. I just know he's been responsible for my weight gain over the years. I wonder if he'd build me my own Planet Fitness???

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, a man with many answers about the future.

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

In late 1993 I had to put aside my writing for many years because my life circumstances required I return to full time employment while raising two sons on my own. God was very gracious and answered an earlier prayer. I was able to get a job in ministry. Years later, with my husband’s encouragement, I returned to pursuing writing.

Why do you live where you live? 

We left northern Virginia eleven years ago to get away from the congestion and traffic. Williamsburg, VA, part of the historic triangle of Virginia (Williamsburg, Jamestown, Yorktown), was our retirement destination. It is a charming and interesting college town (The College of William & Mary – the second oldest college in America). It’s not far from the Richmond, Virginia Beach, the mountains, the beach, and rural countryside. It has a small town atmosphere in the best sense yet is also sophisticated as people from all over retire here. 

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?

One of my favorite devotionals that I read periodically is 31 Days of Praise by Ruth Meyer

It really inspires and motivates me to be intentional about praising God in all circumstances. In the early nineties, when I was experiencing many trials, I discovered it improved my attitude as I faced each challenge.   

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

My husband and I designed the home we live in to meet our specific needs and wants. It is a ranch style with a walk-out basement and it overlooks a pond and two golf fairways. Ken is a golfer and a luthier, (a guitar builder) and wanted a large workshop in the basement with lots of light and a storage area for his woods. My writing space is on the main level at the opposite end of the house. Given that we are both introverts, it works beautifully for us. J

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

I enjoy reading historical novels, biographies, non-fiction, and history books. I’m usually drawn to them because it’s a subject I’m interested in reading.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9  It’s a powerful reminder that no matter what I am facing, that the Lord is always with me.

Janet, it has been a pleasure meeting you. Thank you for taking the time to be  part of our blog series. May God bless your writing endeavors!

If you wish to connect with Janet, you can find her here:

Website:  http://janetgrunst.com/

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Janet-Grunst-Author-385405948228216/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=janet+grunst&i=digital-text&crid=1LKBVFRTMPGUS&sprefix=janet+grunst+%2Cdigital-text%2C99&ref=nb_sb_noss

Until next time, 

Kevin

The Dark Side of Writing (A Seriously Write Blog Post)

                       

All new writers believe writing to be one thing: writing. Create a story. Write a treatise. Get it published. Write the next story or dissertation. Get it published. Rinse and repeat. Again and again.

But alas, there is a power afoot which disrupts this creative flow.

“All I want to do is write.”

“If I could just get a book published, then I’d be on my way.”

Ever uttered these words? Or similar phrases?

As a writer, when we delve into art of putting words down on a page, we tend to view life through the lens of the right side of the brain. That’s where art occurs. Creative juices flow like a river from that half. Flowers bloom. Butterflies flutter by. The wind snakes its way through the tree tops. The world is our canvas.

To a writer, evil lives within the left hemisphere. That’s where the horrors of math and science and logic lie. Creativeness can never coexist with these plagues of humanity. They are diametrically opposed in every way. Some non-fiction writers seem to think the two can be blended together, but the novelist scoffs at such naiveté.

Then, one day, the writer becomes a published author. The goal of “all I ever wish to do is write” seems well within his or her grasp now. Left-brained people send this author a thing called a contract. It is some legal agreement to satisfy the ones who have succumbed to the dark side. All they see is numbers, profit margins, and marketability. The author views these things as roadblocks to creative freedom. A necessary evil.

It’s not long before the now published author is asked to market said book. “These left-brained hucksters are simply trying to build their empires. All I want to do is write! That pure, innocent act of placing words in a select order to cause my kindred, right-brained spirits to jump for joy at the sheer awesomeness of my imagination.”

However, the shadowy secret of the dark side has been lurking all around the author. It’s been crouched in the branches of the beautiful trees the author paints with his/her “wordbrush.”It’s been swimming under the surface of the rhetorical river pieced together by the author’s prose. The left-brained have kept it hidden. They obscured the author’s view. They waited until the right time, when the right-brained author was at his/her weakest, most vulnerable point. They waited until the author was sitting in front of a contract. The pen of publication, like a tractor beam, snagged the author’s hand, dragging him/her into the fold without a whimper.

Before the author knew it, he/she was partnered with people who are more concerned with numbers, profit margins, and marketability.

Now, fully embroiled in this thing called a publishing relationship, the wretched, left-brained lowlifes placed further demands on the author. Facebook author pages must be created. Twitter accounts need to be launched. Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Hootsuite…to the author, the words of left-brained sound like the languages spoken in a bar on Tatooine.

The author feels like he/she has been sucked into a vortex—The black hole of business. All that awaits is the face-to-face meeting with the Emperor himself, informing the author he feels the author’s anger.

And we all know where anger leads, don’t we? Pain. The pain of sending out tweets and being a member of LinkedIn. Then comes the suffering. The author buying his/her own Facebook ads. Traveling a hundred miles away from home to sign books for people he/she doesn’t know. Telling novice authors who don’t market their books that he/she “finds their lack of faith disturbing.”

It’s then, in that moment, when the author realizes he/she has succumbed to the dark side of writing. The author is now a small business owner.

It’s inevitable, my right-brained friend. Don’t fight it. Embrace the left brain. Otherwise, end up on Dagobah, living in a hut, all by yourself, you will. Hmmm?

To see this article on the Seriously Write website, click on the following link: The Dark Side of Writing.

The Author Behind the Story Series - Penny Shane Richards

Greetings from the sunny South! 

It's the second Wednesday of the month. That means it's time for another page in our "Author Behind the Story" series! This marks Interview #4 of the series. I hope everyone has enjoyed this series so far as much as I have. It's fun getting to know new people. It's even more fun getting to know the authors behind the titles I see on Amazon, Facebook, and elsewhere. A book title and cover is great, especially when it's a great cover. But who is the person who wrote the pages in between? That's why we're here! So, when you finish reading this page, you can scroll down and catch the rest of the series!

This month, we welcome - to the blog "Where imagination meets eternity" (drum roll, please...) - Penny Shane Richards!

Give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Penny Richards? 

Among a few other things, I’ve worked as an interior decorator, store clerk, short-order cook, caterer, B&B owner, and florist’s helper. I love my God, my small town, learning new things, forensics, and anything creative. I believe in all the old-fashioned values of hard work, respecting people and property, fairness and honesty.

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 in high school, had always been a voracious reader, wrote poetry and liked to draw.

What educational background do you have?

I finished my first year of high school in Illinois, and then my family moved to Hot Springs, AR, my sophomore year, where I graduated. I had no desire to go to college, plus, back then, mostly the smart/or rich kids went. I had the grades, but I would have hated it. I was extremely shy back in those days. My high school offered something called Diversified Occupation, and you could take several different things for very little money.  I thought I wanted to be a nurse, but my grandmother was horrified and said, “I’ll pay for beauty school if you take that.” I said, “Okay!” LOL So I went to beauty school my junior and senior years in the afternoons and a month in the summer. It’s come in handy through the years.

I also finished a two-year long correspondence course from Chicago School of Interior Decoration when my kiddos were small. Very intense, but I could work at my own pace. I’ve used that a lot through the years, since my husband and I flipped mobile homes and houses before it was the going “thing.”

I’m also a Master Gardener.

Ugh. Gardening. Lawn Work. Landscaping. Those are all four-letter words to me. I know some people love it. They say, "Oh, it's my therapy working in the garden or the yard." After I work in my yard, I need therapy. Physical. Psychological. Spiritual. The gamut. So, my hat's off to you if your a Master Gardener. Now, next question. 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 Food: Country cooking, though I don’t turn down much of anything.

Favorite Drink: Sweet tea. I may be Northern born, but am a Southerner through and through.

Favorite Song: “Poeme” by Giovanni. It is so beautiful it makes me cry when I hear it.

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): DEVIL IN A WHITE CITY

Favorite Bible Verse: In His favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5

Favorite Movie: ROB ROY. It is the story of an honorable man and shows what true love is.

Favorite Actor or Actress: Paul Newman

Favorite Novel (other than your own): THE MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH. It’s rich in historical information, has a very different, complicated heroine, mystery and story line.

Favorite Novelist (other than you): Ariana Franklin. Author of the above book.

Favorite Sport: Baseball or golf. I had grandsons who played both.

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): St. Louis Cardinals, baseball

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: English

Favorite Subject Now: History

Favorite Teacher in School: All of my English teachers.

Favorite Time of the Year: Autumn. I like the colors, and the fact that the earth is getting ready to rest for a time.

Favorite Place to Vacation: A lake somewhere. I’m not a fan of the ocean, hot sun, or rugged, rocky mountains. I like green, and shade and lakes and creeks so clear you can see the bottom.

           

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

That’s a hard one. Margaret Thatcher?

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?  

Mary, the mother of Jesus. I’d like to know what He was like as a child.

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

Trying to keep my career going while also helping my husband with his business. We were always self-employed, and I worked side by side with him most of the time. Also, trying to balance my work and family. I didn’t always do the best job with that.

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?   

This was VERY scary to me. In 1991, my agent contacted me and said he had a client who had started a mainstream novel about a woman trying to break through the glass ceiling in big business. This man was a world renowned seventy-something scientist/businessman (helped develop the intercontinental ballistic missile, TRW to name a couple of his accomplishments) who wrote non-fiction books related to his work. Would I be interested in working with him since he had no idea how to write fiction? Uh, yeah! At that time, my mainstream novel about horse racing had won the Reader’s Choice Award for Best Single Title. So, we read each other’s work to see if we thought we would be compatible. He flew me to Los Angeles for four days, and we worked together, plotting and working out the kinks.  This was HUGE for me, since I am a fraidy cat when it comes to doing something like that.  I don’t think  I left my room unless it was to have breakfast with him. The work was a true collaboration. He provided all the business/technical/ “insider” type of information to me on cassette tape, and I transcribed what I needed and did the actual writing.

            We spent six months getting about 140 pages and a synopsis ready. It was sent to various houses, but unfortunately our agent got very ill, was out of the office for almost half a year and the agent handling his clients didn’t do us a very good job. Meeting and working with Dr. Simon Ramo (shameless name dropping) was one of the highlights of my career and my life. I could call him at any time and get put right through…unless he was talking to Bush the first which he did every day during the Gulf War. My brush with true fame.

Why do you live where you live? 

I live in a small Arkansas town of less than 300 people and LOVE it! I don’t like cities and traffic and hustle and bustle. I can leave my UPS packages at the local printers to pick up. People know you by name. This place is very supportive and has some wonderful people.

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? 

My son gave me a copy of JESUS CALLING by Sarah Young almost five years ago. There is nothing in it that I don’t know as a Christian, but it helps remind me of certain things, and it’s relevant every year, no matter what’s going on in my life. There are days it is so on target that I sometimes think God shuffles the devotionals so I’ll read a certain one just when I need it! I can’t tell you how many I’ve bought the book and given to others.

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

No subdivisions! Trees, trees, trees! A little land is good. I’m not too picky, because I can see the potential in any wreck of a house and love working on them.

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

Nothing new. Dave Ramsay made a believer out of me. As long as it looks reasonably okay, has four wheels, air and heat, I’m good to go. I’m not one who is after status in home, car, clothes, etc. I’m just simple, plain old me.

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

I like to read almost anything, including non-fiction. I love reading Medieval historical mysteries, and psychological thrillers. I’ll pick up a genre I don’t normally read if it’s recommended.

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

I’m a widow for more than 4 years now. My husband and I were married 50 ½ years. I’m the mother of two boys (both of whom are grandparents now) and one daughter (ditto), grandmother of nine, and great grandmother of 3 ornery, precious little boys, 4, 7 and 9.

I’m sorry for your loss, Penny. I'm sure the Bible has helped you over the years deal with your loss. What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

“My grace is sufficient to you.”

This line seemed to be spoken in my mind at a time I was going through a very difficult time. I was having a lot of trouble forgiving someone who had hurt me and mine badly. I cried almost all the time, and didn’t sleep. When I heard those words in my head out of the blue, my world seemed to shift back into place and I was able to forgive and move on.

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

Even after writing and selling more than 40 books, I’m still very insecure about my work and worry that it will fall short.  As a dear friend of mine once said, “the book in my head is never what comes out on the page.”

I like that because I can relate. You always feel like it could be better, too. Well, Penny, it's been a pleasure having you on my blog site. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and give us a picture of the person behind the many titles you have produced so far. Take care, and may God continue to bless your writing!

Dear Reader, if you want to get to know Penny more, you can visit her here:

Twitter: @pennyRwrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pennyshane.richards 

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

Kevin