Author Interview with Sharon Rene and Giveaway!

Today we have a special treat! Children's author Sharon Rene is here to share some fun with us today, including a paperback giveaway of her book, A Mixed Bag of God's Grace!

Sharon Rene strives to honor God in all her writings and help people know Him better. Currently she’s working on a Christian Young Adult series.  She’d love for you to connect with her on her website www.sharonreneauthor.com to learn more about her Divine Destiny series.

 

Welcome Sharon! We're so glad you could visit us today. Tell us about your book.

A Mixed Bag of God’s Grace is a collection of short stories for elementary and middle-grade children. The stories are biblical, historical and contemporary. A devotion follows each story.

Where did the inspiration for this book come from? 

When writing this book, I thought of a parent who had three or four children. One child liked contemporary stories another preferred historical and the others loved the great stories in the Bible. A mom or dad can please every child in the family with A Mixed Bag of God’s Grace.

Mixing short stories and devotionals is an interesting weave of fiction and spiritual content. Can you tell us more about how you work your faith into your writing?

I’ve taught Sunday school, children and youth, for over fifteen years. I’ve had to be creative to capture my students’ attention. I use the art of story-telling to pull the child into the situation. Before they know it – they’ve learned something.

One of my critique partners suggested that I add a devotion behind each story. She thought this would be a great way to help children learn and remember. I loved the idea.

Tell us how you chose the title.

Since this is a collection of short stories the name couldn’t be based on a character, place or situation. I thought that these stories were like a “mixed bag” a little bit of everything and God’s grace was the one common factor.

What do you enjoy most about writing for children?

Children are very imaginative and impressionable. I hope children will be entertained by my stories but also learn more about history and the Bible.

What was your favorite book or movie as a child?

I read every Nancy Drew mystery I could get my hands on. I also loved Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’ve always been a history nut. That’s why my book contains three stories set in England in the middle ages.

What advice would you give to parents and grandparents that would like to encourage their children to read more?

Reading is one of the most important things a child can do, especially in our high-tech society. I would encourage parents and grandparents to find books that will tempt the child to read. If the child is interested in planets and space find books on these topics. If they prefer American history search for books in that category. And, of course, buy A Mixed Bag of God’s Grace to satisfy everyone.

What are you working on next? 

I’m currently writing a Young Adult series. Hesitant Heroes is set in 2062. Jordan Scott, a teenage computer geek, discovers that Christian students are disappearing from her high school. She and her friends are pulled into danger and intrigue as they try to solve the mystery.

Very interesting. Looks like you have some great stuff going on. Thank you so much for being with us! 

Readers, Sharon is giving away one paperback copy of A Mixed Bag of God's Grace, so be sure to leave her a comment to get your name in the hat! Winner announced in the Weekly Windup.

Love Songs or Clanging Cymbals

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and with truth. 1 John 3:18

As this holiday season approaches, the world, society, life in general, seems to have gone mad. The peaceful neighborhoods and churches of my childhood exist no more. Things that once elicited friendly rivalries and good-natured pacts to “agree to disagree” have turned into anger and shouting matches. Instead of accepting that individual rights to differing views and opinions, relationships end up on the evening news because of minor disagreements.

Christians are to be different.

Americans and Christians alike, used to accept one other as a melting pot of ideologies and opinions without name-calling. It has become passé to accept personal decisions based on prayer, conscience, and experience without going on the attack.

Paul faced increasing differences in the rapidly growing community of new believers. As a Christian who was formerly a respected Jew and persecutor of the new faith in Jesus Christ, he spoke repeatedly about dealing with disagreements in a different way than the world. Paul admonished the Ephesians to speak the truth in love, thus maturing into accurate representations of Christ. He called Christians a “body” that “builds itself up in love”.

We have forgotten the words of First Corinthians 13: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” Too many gongs and cymbals clamor in the name of Christ and I suspect it hurts God’s ears. What He longs to hear from His children is a love song.

As we approach the holidays and gather with friends and family, let us remember the rest of that powerful chapter on love. Let us make deliberate decisions to be patient and kind, rather than boastful or proud. We must determine to display attitudes that honor rather than dishonor, to speak thoughtful words rather than those that are self-seeking and angry. Before holiday gatherings, let us wipe perceived wrongs and disagreements from our memories. As we gather with our loved ones, choose to be examples of the Christ-like love that protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres through everything.

This holiday season, let us concentrate on what will outlast everything earthly and temporal—faith, hope, and love. Let us join in songs of love and leave the clanging cymbals behind. If we do, then thanksgiving, peace, and goodwill toward all men will delight the heart of our Lord and bring peace to our land and our homes once again.

© Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, November 19, 2016

Don't forget to leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for The Perfect Gift by Elaine Manders. Winner will be announced in the November 27th edition of the Weekly Windup. 

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with her, you’re to follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon. 

Storm Warning

The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly… 1 Thessalonians 5:2

Streaking from the dark clouds above, a lightning bolt struck the center of the empty soccer pitch with my daughter’s team playing on the next field. When the referee refused to stop the game, another off-duty ref agreed to help and we ran to the officials stand.

The officials agreed to stop the games, but their method was far too slow. Riding a golf cart from field to field of the large complex would never send the kids to safety in time. As fast as I could run, I returned to my daughter’s game and told the referee to send the kids to the cars. One after another, girls sat down to pull off shoes, socks, and shin guards in the pelting rain, lightning crackling overhead. Yelling to leave their things and run, we finally cleared the field.

Drenched and breathing hard, I ran to my own car, satisfied that everyone was safe.

“Mom, are you crazy? Did you ever think you might be killed?” My seventeen-year-old daughter’s indignant tone showed both concern and embarrassment at my rampage to clear the fields.

Never once did I feel concern for myself. All my thoughts were for others in danger from the fast-moving storm. “No.” I replied. “All I thought was that those kids might die. I’m an adult, and I know where I’m going when I die.” 

People die every day without the certainty of heaven. Our world belittles Christians but fails to heed the call to salvation. They are quick to blame God, but slow to approach him for help. In recent years, natural disasters and attacks by dangerous and depraved men have rocked our world. There is no safety, and often no warning. It’s more critical than ever for Christians to speak out about the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

How many would find salvation if I proclaimed the gospel with as much fervor as I stopped those soccer games? What if Christians gave no thought to their reputation or the reaction of others in order to warn others of the approaching storm of judgment?

I must determine to live each day in the light of the Cross. People’s lives depend on it.

© Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, October 10, 2015, October 13, 2017

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with her, you're invited to follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.