BLOGWORDS – Thursday 23 March 2017 – CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – KAREN SWEENEY-RYALL
CHAT THURSDAY – AUTHOR INTERVIEW – KAREN SWEENEY-RYALL
“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, “From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.” John 7: 37-38 NASB”
“Regardless of your circumstances, your age, your health, your finances and your past, you DO have a future and something to contribute.”
rem: Hullo Karen, and welcome to my nest. Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
KAREN: I have lived all my life in western Pennsylvania, near the town famous for Mr. Rogers and Arnold Palmer.
rem: So a friendly neighborhood, eh? 😉 #gotgolf Tell us three things about yourself.
KAREN: I find the vast beauty of the ocean so restorative. I am a hugger. My dream vacation is a cruise among the Hawaiian Islands.
rem: In that case, {{{{{HUGZ}}}}} Coffee or tea? Sweet or un? Flavored or not?
KAREN: Coffee, no sugar, flavored preferred.
rem: Same here. What is your favourite quotation and why?
KAREN: “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”. Les Brown
rem: Thank you! (58 and counting!) What do you do as a hobby?
KAREN: Read, listen to music.
rem: What’s the most random thing in your bag or on your desk?
KAREN: a box of blank CDs.
rem: Hope that’s on your desk not in your purse… What’s your all-time favorite movie? Favorite TV show?
KAREN: My granddaughter and I watch “Elf” every year. I also greatly enjoyed the recent movie “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone”. I don’t watch much TV but prefer mysteries like NCIS and also like Blue Bloods.
rem: My Sis-in-Law got me hooked on “Elf” – love that movie. What’s your favorite recent discovery?
KAREN: What a wonderful and interesting group authors are.
rem: I know right!! If you could go back in time, what era would you choose and why?
KAREN: I wouldn’t because I like modern conveniences, technology advances.
rem: Touché! Are you named after someone?
KAREN: no
rem: Do you use sarcasm?
KAREN: Not much.
rem: Is that a sarcastic reponse??? Would you bungee ?
KAREN: NO
rem: That looks pretty definitive. What is the first thing you notice about people?
KAREN: eyes
rem: The window to the soul. Favorite season? Why?
KAREN: Spring. I love to watch grass and leaves turn green and the colors of flowers burst forth.
rem: Mine too – it’s a (ahem) robin thing. 😉 Hugs or kisses?
KAREN: HUGS
rem: * see above… Rolling stones or Beatles?
KAREN: Beatles.
rem: Do you have a favorite Bible verse? And why is it a favorite?
KAREN: Several but Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB is the verse I try to live by
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
rem: Sounds so easy….. If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
KAREN: Danny Gokey because his songs speak strongly to my heart
rem: What do you think is significant about Christian fiction? How has being a novelist impacted your relationship with Christ?
KAREN: It is enjoyable yet uplifting and encouraging and includes life lessons.
rem: When reading, what makes or breaks a story for you? Your fiction pet peeve?
KAREN: Connecting with the characters. When the plot bounces back and forth and the author knows what it means but you don’t.
rem: I read one like that – ‘course, I came into the story world several books into the series, but still – I had a hard time keeping up. Which is more important: plot or characters?
KAREN: Characters
rem: ‘Cause you wanna hug ‘em all, right? What would you do if you weren’t writing?
KAREN: Inspirational speaker or traveling
rem: Which you do anyway, right? What are you reading right now?
KAREN: God is Good by Bill Johnson; Resonate by Nancy Duarte; Rebekah by Jill Eileen Smith
rem: What do you munch on while you write?
KAREN: granola bars
rem: The healthy choice. You have a teaching ministry other than writing. Tell us about that.
KAREN: I have led life groups at our church and speak at women’s encounter weekends. I also speak on memory loss, grief and other topics for my work.
rem: Heavy stuff. What a blessing you must be to those in need. You are also a hospice grief counselor. In my estimation, that takes a special courage and compassion. How did you get started in this ministry and what does a typical day look like?
KAREN: I believe God makes beauty from ashes when we use our difficult experiences to later help others. My father died when I was 21 and then my first husband when we were 35 so I wanted to share what I learned from that to help others. I also have been an advocate for hospice and how it can help families for over 15 years. My day is partly computer and paperwork (ugh) but also phone calls and visits with bereaved, attending funeral viewings, leading support groups etc. Every day is a little different.
rem: Truly a light in a family’s darkest times. Tell us a little about your writing journey.
KAREN: I have loved to read since a young child and journaled many years. I wrote some articles but I have always wanted to write a book. Following a difficult season in my life, I felt strongly I was to write about it to encourage other women.
rem: What is your Writing Routine? Where do you write: In a cave, a coffeehouse, or a cozy nook?
KAREN: My home is quiet so I write primarily in my living room and dining room.
rem: Mine is quiet too (most of the time) and I sit on the love seat, lap top in, well, lap. What makes you struggle as an author? How do you handle it?
KAREN: My biggest problem is finding enough time, while working FT and being active at my church. I wrote my book primarily on weekends. I hope to be writing and speaking FT instead soon.
rem: I was already on Disability when I started writing so I can’t imagine having to juggle so many plates! What do you enjoy most about being a writer?
KAREN: Letting my thoughts flow. Sharing with the reader.
rem: Nothing like it, is there? What was the hardest thing about publishing? The easiest?
KAREN: Learning the process- it is like learning a new career. Easiest- being able to write it in Word and upload from there.
rem: It’s a constant learning curve, too! What are your top 3 recommendations for a new writer? What 3 things would recommend not doing?
KAREN: Only write if you know you are supposed to and have the passion to persist.
Record your thoughts on your phone or a recorder when the inspiration is fresh. Keep learning about the craft and publishing.
I would not write because someone else says to. Be open to constructive suggestions but be careful who you share with to avoid negative input. Don’t try to be someone else.
rem: All excellent recommendations! Tell us a little about your book? Do you have a new project coming?
KAREN: This book evolved from going through a dark season of struggles in my life and the journey out toward renewed hope, vision and purpose. I felt strongly that what I went through was not just for me but could help other women during their own time of struggles. I plan to write a version aimed at young women 15-30. I also am in the midst of writing The Journey Back To Joy about finding joy again after loss. I have 2 or 3 other ideas started, also.
rem: Isn’t that what our life as believers is about, sharing with others – the good, the bad, and the ugly?? What is YOUR favorite part about the book or why do you love this book? Why should we read it?
KAREN: I am hoping that this book will truly encourage many women to have hope, to awaken the dreams in their heart and to know that they each are uniquely special and beautiful. I am honored to have 16 other women share their intimate stories of difficult times in their lives. We all were very transparent in the hope that every woman who reads it will identify with one or more of us and be encouraged that they, too, can not just survive their situation but thrive.
rem: Karen, you’re speaking to my heart!
Please give us the first page of the book.
KAREN: Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1: 2-4
- Rising Up From the Dark
Have you ever had a circumstance in your life that caused you great despair and hope was hard to find? Have you felt like you cried out to God but it seemed as though He didn’t hear you? I have. I recently read a description of the ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ as described by St. John of the Cross. I could immediately relate while reading his description of difficult times when it feels like our prayers are not being heard and we experience weariness, helplessness, emptiness, and a sense of defeat. I believe I have experienced this four times in my adult life.
The first three were traumatic events: one, the shocking betrayal of my first husband who engaged in an adulterous affair. We were high school sweethearts and both raised in devoutly religious homes. I trusted him completely. Many others told me that if they had to guess the one couple this would not happen to, it would have been us. I thought so, too. My husband was going through an early mid-life crisis of sorts and searching for why he
rem: Ashes. And now you have beauty from it. What is one take-away from your book(s) that you hope readers identify with?
KAREN: It is never too late. You always have worth and purpose.
rem: Where can we find you online?
KAREN:
http://www.becomingmybestme.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Becoming-My-Best-Me-1591901087694232/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf
https://twitter.com/GigiKaren53
rem: Anything you’d like to add?
KAREN: I appreciate this opportunity to share about my book and I would love to hear feedback from those who read it.
rem: Thank you so much for chatting with us at my little nest today!
“Put your eyes on Me! Do not look to the right or the left. Do not wonder how or why. Come to Me and ask for My wisdom and for Me to move on your behalf.”
#Blogwords, Chat Thursday, Author Interview, Karen Sweeney-Ryall, Revealing Your Treasures Hidden in Darkness, Beauty from Ashes
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