Denice Stewart is a writing mom debuting her tweener novel! Let’s welcome her to Portrait!

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

I am a wife and stay-at-home mom to 4 year old twin boys and a six month old baby girl. I have wanted to write for as long as I can remember, although I do remember a brief period in the 3^rd grade when I wanted to be an archaeologist.

How did you get your first “writing break?”

My first “break” is this book, Where Would Cows Hide? I signed the contract in October, 2005 so it has taken about two and a half years from the book being contracted to being released.

What do you write and why this genre?

I write children’s middle-grade (or tween) adventures, but I am also working on an adult romantic comedy. I write the tween books because I think kids should be able to read about the biggest adventures of all; adventures with God.

Do you have any recent contracts and up coming releases?

The second book in the Parker Twins adventures is under review with the publisher at the moment. I also have a romantic comedy entered in the ACFW Genesis contest.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?

To let kids know they worship a “REALLY BIG GOD” (to quote a friend of mine), and that it’s okay to let God be involved in every part of their lives. That’s where He wants to be, right smack in the middle of it all.

And now for the tough questions…

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

Through God’s grace and mercy. My husband is very supportive and encouraging. He picks up the slack with the kids, which allows me to take the time to write. But it’s definitely not easy. There are interruptions every few seconds, and no one is willing to wait until I “just finish this scene.”

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

It might be possible to give yourself fully to all three things, but it takes a better woman than I to make it happen! My time goes to my children, my husband, and my writing, then to keeping in shape if I have anything left over. But I am discovering as I get older that keeping in shape is becoming more of a priority. If I don’t stay in shape, I don’t have the energy required to keep up with my kids, husband, and writing.

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

My writing usually takes a backseat to the demands of my kids. They simply will not be ignored, no matter how hard I try. But when I write it is in the evenings after dinner, and on the weekends. I am with them during most of the day, except three hours in the morning for preschool, so when my husband gets home, the boys have had enough of me and want daddy. And the weekends are the same. They get to play with daddy all day, and could care less if I am there or not.

How do you handle interruptions in your writing life?

I just have to grit my teeth and pray that this, too, shall pass. And long bubble baths don’t hurt, either.

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

It takes a while. That’s probably why I can’t even begin to keep up with a daily word count. Too many interruptions. I always have the story going in my head, I jot things down in a notebook, and try to come back to a scene as soon as possible.

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

I eat LOTS of chocolate (probably another reason I’m not in great shape), pray continuously, and I call my mom to vent about the frustrations of my day.

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

I take long showers.

I also try to read my Bible every night before I go to sleep to hear God’s voice when I feel myself getting lost in everyday life.

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

Pray until I can feel my world righting itself. Take a long, hard look at what is slipping, and cut back or bulk up in other areas until there is a semblance of balance again.

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?

When my dad was dying of cancer, God made it possible for my husband and I to move back to Oklahoma from Arkansas to help take care of him. I had three year old twins and my dad to look after for five months, and there was absolutely no time for writing. And it was surprisingly simple. My dad needed me, my mom needed me, my kids needed me, and the writing could wait. I knew I would be writing again, eventually, and not once has it ever bothered me that I took that time to be with my dad before he passed.

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

That thought crosses my mind now and then, that maybe God wants me doing something else, something that actually earns a steady income, but the minute I set the writing aside to look through the classifieds I am bombarded with character traits, bits of dialogue, plot elements, and scenes that play out over and over in my head. I figure I’ll quit writing when the characters stop talking to me, and when the story ideas stop popping up in the shower, in my dreams, in the car, cooking dinner…

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

If you can’t imagine any other way to live, than a life of juggling kid’s demands, husband’s demands, home demands, friends’ and family’s demands, and your desire to write, then keep writing and let God take care of the rest. There are plenty of other ways in the world to fulfill God’s call on your life that are less of a daily struggle, but if this is the only kind of life you want, struggling and writing, or easier but no writing…stick with writing.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I just want to thank you, Gina, for letting me be a guest on your blog. It’s been great. You really do ask the tough questions! I hope you enjoy the book.

Thanks so much for stopping by! And readers be sure to leave a comment for a SUPER GIVEAWAY: 1 lucky blog commenter on this entire blog tour will get: a gift basket with more tweener books and goodies.

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