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

My husband is the most fantastic, supportive guy I can imagine. I also have three kids (a teen and two tots) who light up my world. God knew exactly what He was doing when he arranged our family. The call to write came when I was a kid. I remember staying at my grandma’s house for a few weeks and praying about it, and God answering in a very specific way that I, as a twelve-year-old, could understand. My parents encouraged me all along, and probably wonder what took me so long to get serious. And now my husband gives me an incredible amount of freedom to pursue my dream.

How did you get your first “writing break?”

Finding a home for Table for One seemed much harder than writing the book itself. When I first started trying to place TFO, I was told repeatedly that the chick lit train had left the station. When I queried The Wild Rose Press, they were enthusiastic about the book, and they weren’t as concerned about the genre label as they were about publishing a fun story that worked within their guidelines.

What do you write and why this genre?

Chick lit is the genre of my heart. It’s a natural extension of my voice and a great outlet for my whacky sense of humor. That said, these days I’ve modified my writing to fit more into the humorous women’s fiction/romantic comedy mode because it still allows me to retain my voice.

Do you have any recent contracts and up coming releases?

If only! But since I’m a glass-half-full kind of girl, I believe that my time is coming. Plus I now have a hard-working agent who is shopping my 2^nd novel, Honey Do Inc.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?

I could say that I want people to take away a deep, spiritual message, but honestly I want people to laugh and be entertained, maybe even refreshed. (Most likely they’re relieved they aren’t living the life of my heroines.) While my stories have some spiritual takeaway value, I always keep in mind that a merry heart does good, like medicine.

And now for the tough questions…

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

If I knew the secret, I’d write a how-to book and makes lots of money! I live by to-do lists. There’s something so satisfying about crossing items off, and moving on to the next task. Thankfully I have a family who is ultra-supportive, and doesn’t mind nearly as much as I do when our home looks windswept. For a while I tried writing during the day, but now that I’ve figured out how much that doesn’t work I’ve adjusted my schedule and write at night, so that’s helped some.

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?

Uh, if you could see my incredible shrinking wardrobe you’d know which one takes a back seat. At this point, I’m not under deadline, though I wish I was, so in theory the writing could easily sit on the backburner. Since I have a great support system, both at home and in the writing community, not writing is not a viable option. Back to your original question: the answer is, maybe. If you discover the secret before I do, please send me a memo.

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

All the time! That’s why I’ve recently gone back to writing at night after the babies go to bed. Even though my teen is still awake when I write, she has no problem settling down to do her own thing, then we reconnect at the end of the night when my husband gets home.

How do you handle interruptions in your writing life?

Not very well, I’m afraid. I’d like to say I’m like Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way!) but that’s not even close to the truth. My writing time is valuable, so when things don’t go as planned—well, let’s just say I’m a Type A and I try to make things go as planned. ((insert huge grin)) The more I try to balance, the more I learn that knots in the line eventually do work themselves out, so I don’t get as stressed as I used to when my schedule is interrupted.

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

Mostly by rereading what I was working on when I stopped. It’s not as hard as it used to be, and my story is percolating in my mind even when I’m not at the keyboard. Plus, I try not to lose momentum unless it’s absolutely necessary. Momentum is crucial for me.

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

I try to let the stormy days pass as quickly as them come. Thankfully God prepared me for certain aspects of the writing life that sometimes just flat out stink. For example, rejections hurt, but not like they would if my last job hadn’t involved going door-to-door and calling people on the phone (yes, I was one of those annoying sales people!) I learned that rejections really aren’t personal, and more often than not they aren’t about me. From that job I also learned the importance of keeping something in the pipeline, staying consistent, and that practicing and polishing will eventually turn no’s into yes’s.

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

Sometimes you just have to drop everything. I believe He really wants to talk to His people and give us the gentle nudges and loving that good relationships are made of. Then there are the times He speaks louder, as in Psalm 29:3-4, and those times are amazing too.

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

As a stay-home mom/housewife, it’s super easy to know when I’ve let my priorities slip. People run out of clothes to wear, flies start buzzing around the trash cans, and the kids start begging for take-out. LOL! Just kidding—I don’t let it get that out of control, but I can always tell when it’s time to refocus. On a spiritual level, the slip of priorities is more subtle, and therefore more dangerous because the consequences are less obvious at first. Sometimes you just know in your spirit when it’s time to soak in more Word, and it’s best to respond. In fact, last night I was doing some online Bible study in the back room when my family thought I was writing. Shhh!!!

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?

Most of my adult life has been focused on areas other than writing. Come to think of it, I believe there were times God was specifically calling me to write and I put the call on hold. Since I took up writing (again) I haven’t felt led to slow down.

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

Only when I get a rejection. Then I pout a little, eat a lot, and shake it off. The only area I really feel like I missed God in regards to writing was by putting off the call for so long. I do NOT want to let that happen again!

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

Ouch. Look to the journey instead of the prize! Of course, that’s easier for me to say now than it was before. But something I recently noticed is that the process of writing is God’s way of developing our character. The whole process churns up issues that sometimes it’d be easier to ignore (like longsuffering, jealousy, etc.) and if we were to skip the journey then we’d miss what God has for us to learn. Besides, there’s always going to be another level to achieve.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Thank you for interviewing me, and for showcasing Table for One!

Thank you, Georgiana! I look forward to reading more from you! For more info on Table For One read my review here.