Tell us a little about your family and your call to write.

My husband, Claude, and I have been married 15 years and we have three boys (ages: 8, almost 5, and 3). We live in central North Carolina, my home state. My husband is a university professor and I work from home as a web designer, and I write, of course.

I started writing in 1996. Claude and I had been co-leaders of a Christian discussion group for years at that time. Our monthly dinner club meetings centered around biblical racial reconciliation. Although our discussions were good, I felt that some of the principles in the nonfiction book we read were too academic sometimes. So I was moved to weave those ideals into a story. I had dabbled at writing fiction before that, and of course, I read a lot of fiction but never did writing a story overtake me like the one I started in 1996. That God-driven story became The Making of Isaac Hunt.

How did you get your first “writing break?”

I owe my ‘big break’ to having a knowledgeable agent. For years I had tried getting a book contract by contacting the publishers directly. I had my Christian Marketing Guide and I’d go through the publishers in my genre meticulously. I’d call first to make sure the information was up to date and then I’d send in the proposal, unsolicited and agentless. And I’d get back a nice rejection letter. I don’t know about the ABA but CBA acquisitions editor have some nice form rejection letters. I’ve saved them all.

I’m very happy with my agent, Les Stobbe (he’s my second agent; the first one was too green). Les has is very experienced and very personable. After signing with him I learned that he had served on a board of an organization that heralds biblical racial reconciliation across the nation. I know it was God that brought us together.

What do you write and why this genre?

I write what can best be described as multicultural fiction. I don’t much care for the genre titles, by the way. Not sure I fit square into one. My writing centers on racial issues. I can’t not write race. At least that’s the way it is now, which might make for a hard sell as book trends swing. Don’t get me wrong I try not to beat people up with race but like one of my favorite artists, TobyMac, says ‘Well never be that shining city on a hill until we show and prove to the people what is real.’ I’m just trying to be real, John 17 real.

Do you have any recent contracts and up coming releases?

My first book, The Making of Isaac Hunt, comes out in June through Moody Publishers’ Lift Every Voice imprint.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?

I hope to give people a good read and I hope to start Christians thinking and being more proactive on a racial level.

And now for the tough questions…

How do you balance being a mom, wife, writer, and working?

That is a tough one. I don’t think I balance things very well. I try. Nothing wrong with trying. Right?

Although I’ve had my web design business for over five years I’ve only recently started taking myself seriously as a business owner. My thing was I’m a reluctant business owner. Now with a book coming out, I have to be more intentional about revising my business plan, marketing, etc. etc.

I’m very system oriented. (Too many years as an engineer, I guess). So if I can have a system for a thing then I feel like I have a better handle on it. My systems may not work for anybody else (might not even make sense to anybody else) but they keep me sane and somewhat productive most of the time.

I don’t do TV. That’s a good thing to let go. But unfortunately, a casualty of me trying to balance the mommy-wife-writer-business owner thing is that I don’t stay current with my friends. Email helps but it’s not the same as a real flesh-and-blood visit.

Do you think it’s possible to give yourself fully to raising children, writing, working, and keeping in shape? If not, which one for you has to take a back seat?

You used the word fully. I really don’t think it’s possible to do anything of those things to their fullest simultaneously. I wish it were.

Let me tell you about the keeping fit thing. In the world of DC Comics Linda Lee is Supergirl. Linda Lee Supergirl can do it all and boy is she ripped. Linda Leigh Hargrove is not super. I cannot do it all and I am anything but ripped. I try to stay in shape but I have to admit that regular exercise is the first thing to go.

Being a good wife and mother is extremely important to me. But the reality is most of my time is spent in front of the computer writing or making my web clients happy so I can get paid. So I have to really focus on making the time I spend with my husband and kids quality. Trying to give my ‘best’ self to so many different things is so hard. I’ve haven’t perfected the art of WAHMing but I’m not giving up yet either. God brings the balance, thankfully.

When do you find the time to write, and do you ever feel like you’re neglecting your children when you write?

I try to do most of my writing in the early morning hours. It’s easier for me to focus when I don’t have kids trying to sit in my lap or crashing toy cars underfoot. Sometimes I do have to write during the day. That’s tough to do, especially since my clients may want to call about their web site or I need to be out finding new clients. So I have to discipline myself to get up consistently at 5:30 am and rely on the Lord to multiply the effectiveness of the writing time, however small it may be.

How do you handle interruptions in your writing life?

My over-40 brain is like a sieve and it drives me crazy. So I find myself constantly writing in my head, or writing on the corners of church bulletins and backs of grocery receipts. Drives my husband crazy.

How do you get back into the flow of writing after you’ve been interrupted?

Writing in my head (and on church bulletins) when I’m not at the computer helps me to get back into the flow of things when I sit back down to write.

What do you do to encourage yourself during those stormy days every writing mom has?

I stink at encouragement. So I don’t have any words of wisdom here. Once I saw a book on encouragement by Fred Rogers (of Mister Rogers Neighborhood) in the public library. I almost leapt for joy. I checked the book out and I wrote down phrases from the book and taped them on my mirror. The ordained Presbyterian minister had crafted some real gems of encouragement in that book using simple words like ‘You are special.’ Every now and again I still have to tell myself that.

How do you position yourself to HEAR God’s voice when all the noises of life are swirling around you?

As we all know, hearing from God is hard, period. When we come to Him intent on spending time with the Almighty there are so many things jockeying for attention in our minds. It takes discipline and energy to just turn that stuff off. It’s all good stuff but it has to take a back seat during time with God.

I was raised in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion tradition. Back in the day I didn’t care much for the rituals of the denomination. There’s a lot of memorizing and things you do with your hands, especially during communion. I used to frown at it as a kid. But today, there is one ritual that helps me center in and be ready to hear God. It’s the practice of laying the right hand over the left to form a cross. We would do it as we received the cup and the bread. That ritual helps me be in the position to receive from God.

If you do feel your priorities slipping, what do you do to get back on track?

It’s really hard for me to get back on track when I feel things slipping. For instance, lately I realized that I’ve been an awful friend. I don’t visit. I don’t call. I’ve got things to get done and I’ve got a family to take care of. My plate is full, I tell myself. But in the meantime, I’m alienating friends. I feel bad. And I ask myself, ‘What can I let go so I can spend more time with friends?’ When I sense things getting out of focus, I can only pray for God’s wisdom.

Has there ever been a time God told you to set aside your writing to focus on other areas of your life? If so, how did you handle that?

No, I can’t say that God has told me to set aside my writing. He’s led me to set aside a career in engineering. My mother had a hard time understanding that (I have two degrees in Biological and Agricultural Engineering) but I’m fine with letting it go for this season. I don’t know how I’d feel if He said let writing go.

Did you ever feel like you’ve “missed” God in regards to writing, that maybe you should be doing something else?

I’ve never felt I’ve missed God concerning writing. I may have missed Him in regards to some of the extra curricular things I allow my kids to do, for instance. But I think that writing is His gift to me.

What advice would you give to writing moms who are have their hearts set on publication?

Step One: Pray about your writing; about other writers.

Step Two: Write. Read. Write. Read.

Step Three: Get Connected.*
Repeat Steps Daily.

*(Meet regularly with other like-minded writers, online and in person).

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’d just like to share a wish I have for all writing/working mothers. Perfection is not your goal. There is no perfect WAHM life (no perfect life, period).

Strive to know God’s purpose for you. Don’t settle on just anything until you know that you know God’s purpose for you. Know it like you know your name.

Do what you know God has put your hands to; do it in the energy and spirit He gives you; that is your goal. Be all there; wherever ‘there’ is.