There wasn’t enough time to spend with Amy on Monday, so she’s back again!

Why did you choose the genre of Christian Fantasy for your first published book?

I love fantasy and grew up reading anything I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, most of that was secular fantasy, which really caused some corruption to my soul. Although I was raised in the church, I began to question what I knew was truth as a young teen and found myself beginning to believe in Druidism, witchcraft, occult and other harmful teachings. God rescued me in college, and I gave up all of what I had surrounded myself with. In writing Seed of Seerling, I wanted to give Christians the option of enjoying a purely fantasy novel but also develop a deeper love and understanding of God.

The characters in Seed of Seerling struggle with personal and spiritual sacrifice. How can their struggles help us?

We live in a fast paced society that puts great emphasis on personal success. To achieve that success that we yearn for, even as Christians, we will often sacrifice the things that are most important. Abortion, neglect of children and even neglect of service are the penalties Christians often pay to “get ahead” in the game of life. My characters learn that true sacrifice is giving up our own wants and desires to serve the higher calling of the One True God.

What do you want readers to gain from reading Seed of Seerling?

It is my greatest desire that anyone who reads my book will question their own walk with Christ and their own calling for the Lord and dedicate themselves entirely to Him.

You have said that your goal is to help bridge the gap between Christian fiction and self-help books. How do you plan to go about this in your own writing?

I am an avid reader and have recently been disappointed with the amount of Christian books that are being produced purely for enjoyment. I believe that God has called writers to a higher mission, and we should all use our platform to teach His word. I believe a fiction book can also be a book where the reader is taught something solid and walks away changed forever for God. That’s the type of book I like to read.

I understand that you had a kidney transplant in 1999. How did the four and a half years of bad health change your Christian Walk and ministry?

It came a huge shock to me and my family when, after giving birth to my second son, I became ill with renal failure. Of course I questioned God about why I had to do dialysis for four and a half years without any matches of a kidney. But, I can honestly tell you that He changed me in that time and used me in powerful ways that humble me to this day. One example is when in 1996 I was diagnosed with Vasculitis. My entire vascular system shut down. I remember the day when the doctor came into my hospital room and told me and my husband that he did not believe I would live beyond the weekend. At that time my children were four and two years old. God healed me. It was hard and painful, and I endured a years worth of chemo therapy and many weeks worth of painful procedures while still doing hemo dialysis, but God healed me.

The miracle is that almost an exact year later, a seven year old girl whom I was acquainted with through dialysis became very ill and was hospitalized. The doctors didn’t know what was wrong with her. I shared my story of Vasculitis with her mother, a nurse since our symptoms were so similar. The doctors refused to do the expensive tests on Jessie since they said the disease was almost unheard of in children. Her mother persisted, and they found that she did in fact have Vasculitis. If it were not for my own near death experience a year before, that little girl might not be alive today. We praised God that I had almost died, so Jessie could have life. She is now happy and healthy with her own new kidney in North Carolina. This is only one example of God’s faithfulness in what I perceived to be my tragedies.

Were there any moments during the long time of illness that you felt God close to you/speaking to you? Oh, yes. When I was told that I would not live past the weekend in 1996, I began to sincerely pray that God would send a Christian woman to be the wife of my husband and mother to my beautiful boys. God clearly and audibly spoke into my heart while I sat in my hospital bed and said, “My foolish, foolish child. You are that woman that I have sent.” From that day on I knew my doctor was wrong and am hear today, alive and healthy because of God.

What words would you use to encourage someone today who is close to giving up on their dreams of ministry? Never give up, even when things seem at there worse. I have dreamed of and believed God had called me to be an author since I was 12 years old. It took many trials and several turns in the road, but I am now living that dream and thanking him daily for every chance He has given me. Everything is in His timing!

How does your family motivate and challenge you in writing? I have the best family in the world. My house may be full of testosterone, but it is also filled with caring, loving men who encourage and lift me up when I am down. My husband and two sons have been the greatest encouragers and reminders of God’s love.

What are your goals for future books? Seed of Seerling is the first book of the Crossroads trilogy. I am currently finishing the second book King of Harkan and am working on two Christian children’s books. I also write skits and plays and will eventually be compiling them all into several books for sale. However, the book I know God is calling me to write is the story of what He has done in my life. I am currently waiting on His timing and His inspiration.

Who are the authors that have inspired you? I have been most inspired by the Old Testament stories of the Bible. My favorite authors are Frank Peretti, Francine River, Jane Austin…oh the list goes on and on and on.

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