Pop over to Seekerville blog today and check out Joan’s interview. She gives lots of insights to the industry and she mentions Sabotage, calling it an innovative story. Thanks, Joan!
Tags: editors, Joan Marlow Golan, Sabotge, Seekerville
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Welcome my dear friend and author, Nicole O’Dell. Nicole has been gracious enough to provide us with a fun interview below and be sure to check out her series for Teens and Tweens with Barbour Publishing, called Scenario’s For Girls. Fun books that deal with real choices and the reader gets to participate! Here’s here latest two titles.
(See below for contacting Nicole and learning more)
If you’re not familiar with SCENARIOS check out this video.SCENARIOSwatch?v=970PnG2bgDM
1. How many hours a day/number of pages do you write? Describe a good/bad work day.
Hmm. It would be easier for me to talk about the week because every single day is different. When I’m in the middle of a project, a 10,000-15,000 word week is average. I recently had a 10,000 word day–that was fun!
A good day for me involves spending the morning with my kids and hanging with the babies until Wil can take over. I’ll go off and work for a few hours and re-
enter when the babies wake up from their nap and the older kiddos get home from school. Then I work more after bedtime.
A bad work day is when everything goes wrong–a baby is sick, the washing machine breaks,
etc–and I don’t ever get to break away to write. I have to force myself to be flexible on those days. Grin and bear it. 
2. What are some of the goals you (would like to) accomplish through your writing?
At this moment, I just pray that I can continue what I’m doing and get better at it. As time goes on, I hope to have a thriving ministry to teens, making a difference in many lives. It can be through writing or other means as God leads.
3. What do you feel is the best and worst part of writing/publishing?
The best part is being able to express myself through the medium I most prefer. I love books! The worst part would have to be the waiting. It’s so difficult to finish a book and know you won’t be able to share it with others for at least a year.
4. What practical advice do you have for unpublished writers?
Keep at it. Go to conferences. Network. I know everyone says those things, but it’s so true. Learn. Learn. Learn.
5. What do you find inspiring?
The people I meet along this amazing journey. I’ve made some wonderful writer friends who just may understand me better than anyone (Kit: wink, wink). It’s such a relief to share the solitary life of being a writer with others who walk the same path.
6. What’s your favorite comfort food?
Is coffee a food? No? Okay, then I’d have to say gummy bears. I really, really want a white one of these: http://www.vat19.com/dvds/worlds-largest-gummy-bear.cfm?adid=gbase I have a whole process for eating gummy bears. I eat the green and orange ones first to get them out of the way. The red and white ones get special attention. First, I bite off their little arms and legs. Next, I bite them in half lengthwise. I eat the bumpy front part and then suck on the flat rectangle back for a while. Is that weird?
7. What do you do for fun?
Um…I think I just described it! J/K. Fun…hmm…I love to bike. That would have to be my favorite leisure activity. My family members are all big board game players, and we love to get together for game nights.
*website: www.nicoleodell.com
*blog: www.nicoleodell.blogspot.com
*twitter and facebook links: www.twitter.com/Nicole_Odell and www.facebook.com/nicoleodell
Thanks for visiting, Nicole!
*Here’s a link to a recent podcast: http://gabcast.com/casts/1631/episodes/1264012962.mp3
Tags: Nicole O'Dell, teens, tweens, Writing
Posted in Interviews, What I’m Reading, family life | 5 Comments »
I have been so blessed to be a part of an amazing group of women writers. I’d like to introduce you to two of them:
Nicole O’Dell writes woman’s devotionals and challenging tween and teen books for girls. She’s a mother of six including toddler-aged triplets and she accomplishes so much in a day that it makes me tired thinking about all she does.
Kimberly Cash Tate is the newest addition to Women of Faith. She will travel across the country lifting up other women and reminding them of how precious we are. Here is a wonderful interview with Kim that Nicole posted and I’m just going to paste it here. Please click on their websites or any of the links for more info…
Writer’s Corner (from Nicole O’Dell’s Blog): Kimberly Cash Tate/Women of Faith
Nicole: Today, I’m proud to welcome Kimberly Cash Tate, new member of the Women of Faith speaking tour–and new personal friend/prayer partner.
Kim, will you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Kim: I’m a wife of almost seventeen years, mom to two, and we’ve been homeschooling eight years in the Midwest–which makes me chuckle because in my twenties, I had my sights set on being a high-powered lawyer in Washington, D.C. You never know what God has in store! Though I often wonder how I actually get it done, I manage to find time to write as well.
That’s so true. I think God often chuckles while we’re making our plans.So, tell us about your writing…
My first published book was a memoir called, “More Christian than African-American,” about how God turned my life upside down once I became a believer at twenty-seven. That’s where that career change comes in. In 2008, “Heavenly Places” was released, which was my first novel, about a woman who always felt “less than” because of the way she was raised. Her life changes dramatically after she’s kind of coaxed into a home Bible study with five other women, and they study the book of Ephesians. Though she clashes with the other women for a while and even quits a couple of times, she ultimately learns who she is in God’s eyes. My next novel, “Faithful,” releases in September.
Nicole: Congratulations on your writing success! And, a HUGE congratulations for your recent appointment to the Women of Faith speaking team! How did you get involved with Women of Faith?
Kim: God story! I was signed to Thomas Nelson Fiction last spring, and the fiction team got the crazy notion that they should pitch me as a Women of Faith speaker. Terrible, but I didn’t even know Thomas Nelson was the ministry home for Women of Faith. They didn’t tell me what they were thinking at first, but when I found out, I thought, “No way!” But as the process unfolded, I knew that it was really all about my relationship with God. He’d been dealing with me about increasing my faith and believing that He truly is able to accomplish His plans for us. Years ago, He’d put the desire in my heart for ministry through writing and speaking, but I couldn’t “see” the speaking part from where I sat in my sweats and tennis shoes, homeschooling my kids. They flew me to a Women of Faith conference in October, and I met the whole team. Had a fabulous time “behind-the-scenes.” Yet, the whole thing seemed far out that they might actually consider me as a speaker. Still, God kept one word resounding in my heart–believe.
That had to be a rough wait–something I don’t do well. When did you find out you’d been selected as a speaker?
Weeks passed after that October conference, and I had no idea what they thought of me. Talk about a test of faith! In December, I got the call of my life. They were adding me as a speaker for four events in 2010.
Nicole: Amazing! Congratulations, again! How did you feel? How did you celebrate?
Kim: I can’t even describe how I felt. It was such a faith journey, such an exceeding abundant moment that I spent time just talking to God about it, telling Him how in awe I am of Him. Of course, I also called my mother and the other women who’d been praying for me and screamed! What was awesome as well was the reaction of the Thomas Nelson Fiction team. They’d been praying too, and I was able to be the first to tell them that I’d gotten the call. They were so excited, and the following day, they sent a beautiful bouquet of congratulatory flowers. My birthday was a few days later, so it was a “Happy Birthday” and “Merry Christmas!”
Nicole: How do they decide who speaks about what?
Kim: The leadership team of Women of Faith is very in tune to what ministers to the women who attend the conferences. Just as in writing, story is key. They work with the speakers to develop their own personal stories that illustrate God’s love and grace.
Nicole: What is your area of focus for your events?
Kim: Still working on it, but I’m on the Imagine tour, so my focus will be on the fact that we often imagine one thing for our lives, but God enters in and far surpasses what we’ve dreamed. I think I have a few stories I can tell in that area!
Nicole: You’re entering a whole new arena (no pun intended). Are you nervous?
Kim: More excited than nervous, but I’m sure the nerves are waiting to pounce. Very aware that I’ll be clinging to God every step of the way. The lessons in faith and believing that God’s been teaching me will be ever more in play. And I’ve got that same prayer team in place, because I need it!
Nicole: When and where are your upcoming events?
Kim: I’ll be in the following cities: Las Vegas–April 23-24; Denver–September 24-25; Kansas City–November 5-6; and Sacramento–November 12-13. http://www.womenoffaith.com/lasvegas/
I’ll be posting updates on my blog and Facebook page, so I’d love for people to come hang with me!
http://kimberlycashtate.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/kimcashtate
Thanks to both Kim and Nicole for their friendships and their ministries!
Tags: Kimberly Cash Tate, Nicole O'Dell, Women of Faith
Posted in Interviews | 1 Comment »