I've Moved and I love my new home or I should say HOMES!

Portrait of a Writer...Interrupted http://portraitofawriter.ginaconroy.com

Writer...Interrupted http://writerinterrupted.ginaconroy.com

Portrait of Faith http://ginaconroy.com/faithblog/wordpress

My Web Page http://ginaconroy.com a work in progress

Just curious if everyone who visits here is linking over to then new site. PLEASE leave me a comment THERE so I know you're still with me... The comment process is SOOO much easier, once you sign in!

http://ginaconroy.com/ginablog/wordpress

My blog is in the process of moving to http://ginaconroy.com/ginablog/wordpress/

Please excuse the mess while we are constructing the new site! But you will find my new posts over there, so please bookmark, blogline, or do whatever you have to do to follow me to my new home!

Margaret Daley has been writing for twenty-five years and loves to tell stories. When she's not writing, or teaching, she loves to read, travel and go to lunch and a movie with a friend.

Magaret is a gifted teacher and mentor, and I'm proud to call her my friend. Welcome!

Tell us a little about your family and your call to write.
I have a husband and one son who now has his own family. He has two adorable stepdaughters and is expecting his first child this summer. It is great being a grandmother.

I didn’t start out planning to be a writer. I went to school to be a teacher. I teach high school students with learning disabilities English. Writing just sort of happened. I’ve always loved to weave stories. I used to as a child playing with my dolls. Then one day I thought I would try writing one of those stories down on paper. Ever since that day I’ve been writing. When I think about where my books come from, I can’t really say. They just happen. I think it’s a God thing. The whole process amazes me at times.

Tell me a about your recent contracts and up coming releases.
I signed a three-book contract at the end of August, and then in November I was offered the third book in a Love Inspired Suspense continuity series. I will be busy for the next six months completing those contracts. I have finished the first book on the three-book contract. It will be out in October 2007 and is called Buried Secrets. It is a Love Inspired Suspense. Right now I’m working on my second book called Heart of a Family, the second one in my Fostering by Love series for Love Inspired. The first one will be out this April called Once Upon a Family.


When and how did you get your first “writing break.”
I went to a conference where an editor wanted to see my work. I sent it to her. She didn’t buy the book, but she recommended me to my first agent. Not long after that I sold my first book to Silhouette Romance in 1981.

What do you write and why this genre?
I write inspirational romances and romantic suspense books. I think love is what makes the world go around. At the heart of all great stories is usually a love story. I write romantic suspense because my favorite books to read are adventures and suspense books. They are exhausting to plot and difficult to write, but they are my favorite stories to write.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?
To entertain and share my faith

Do you think it’s possible to give yourself fully to raising children, writing, working full time, and keeping in shape?
No, something usually has to give. While raising my son, I worked full time as a teacher and a writer. Not easy to do. And in the middle of all that trying to keep in shape is very difficult to do. There isn’t enough time in the day to do all I need and want to do. I try not to be too hard on myself when I can’t get something done the way I want, but I’m not always successful in accomplishing that.

How do you balance being a mom, wife, and writer?
Sometimes not well. There are times I feel pulled in too many directions because I want to do everything and do it well.

How do you position yourself to HEAR God’s voice when all the noises of life are swirling around you?
I try to have some quiet time with God. I often prayer when I first wake up while I’m still lying in bed. What I am afraid of is that I will miss something important that He is saying to me. But then if it is important, He’ll repeat it until I hear.

If you do feel your priorities slipping, what do you do to get back on track?
I try to slow down (take a day off) and take a deep breath.

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?
I had a long dry spell and during that time I went back to school and got my masters. I didn’t sell and I didn’t write as much as I did before. I didn’t give up on writing. I just put it on the back burner to further my education. I feel an important part of my ministry is my teaching and helping teens who need it.

When did you find the time to write, and did you ever feel like you neglected your child when you write?
I’m sure there were times I have neglected my child. When my son was little, I would write when he slept which sometimes wasn’t long. I learned to write in short snatches of time because that was all I got.

Tomorrow I’m babysitting my two granddaughters, but I’m so looking forward to it after spending five intense days writing. I need the break.

How did you handle interruptions in your writing life?
As calmly as possible. As a teacher I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. I like order, but I’ve had to learn to go with the flow as a teacher and a writer. It hasn’t always been an easy lesson, though.

How did you get back into the flow of writing after you’ve been interrupted?
You just have to plunge back in. I read what I wrote last, or if I have finished a book, I start developing a new one. At first it is slow go while I’m coming up with characters and a plot.


What advice would you give to writing moms who are where you were six months ago?
Keep writing. Perseverance is so important in the writing business.
There are a lot of things you can’t control, but you can control writing the best book possible for you at that moment. If you have done the best job you can, then that is all you can ask of yourself.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
As much as I wish it wasn’t, rejection is a part of this business. I have received many of them over the years, and I will continue to receive them. Allow it to get to you for a day, then put the rejection in a drawer and move on. Work on your current project or start a new one, but continue to write.

Thank you so much for sharing with me and all the other writing moms. You're an inspiration and encouragement to us!

My mom is in town so I don't have time for a thoughtful post on this Sunday. But check out this link, especially if you have boys!

http://chrysaliscom.blogspot.com/2007/01/family-life-bringing-up-boys.html

Grace got a new Belle and baby Belle doll today and while playing I heard this:

Grace as the Prince: Okay, Ariel and Belle. I will choose who I will marry, and then I'll get to see you butt naked. I choose you, Belle.

Grace as Belle: Oh, I knew you would choose me. And now you can see me butt naked!

I guess Grace has been getting the messages about it being okay to be naked when you're married. I guess that will make having The Talk easier on all of us. In fact, that reminds me about the first TALK I ever had with my oldest. I'll be posting on that tomorrow.

Portrait of Writing, Faith


Ten months ago I placed my writing on the altar, realizing that publication had consumed my life and my writing had become an idol. Giving up writing was one of the most painful things I've had to do, but I embarked on this not writing journey, without knowing the path God would lead me down.

It's only been about two months since I dusted off my WIP, but looking back on it now it was the best thing for me and my writing.

No longer am I obsessed to work on my WIPs. I used to spend most of my evening and well into the night, plus many weekends writing. But the draw to write, the addiction so to speak has been lifted. I still love my writing time, but it's been put in it's place, mostly on the weekends. Now when I do get to write, I am truly thankful for the time. It's a feeling of "Yeah, I get to write" Instead of "I...have...to...write" withdrawal feeling.

Leaving my critique group had its benefits as well, though at the time it was heart wrentching. It was so hard for me to keep up with critiquing and writing. During the week critiquing had taken the place of my family responsibilities like putting the kids to bed. When I gave up writing, I had to give up critiquing as well and that freed me up to be with family.

I also realized that not having critique partners for these many months has really helped my writing. Many of my numerous, well meaning partners often edited my voice out and in my own desperation to learn, and be published, I listened to everyone's advice, changing everything they suggested until I didn't recognize my own writing. I'm happy to say I'm finding my voice again, and I like the way I sound.

Not writing has given me a peace about publication. My anxiety to publish is gone. No more worries about everything being perfect. I now have a peace about God's timing in my writing career, and I look forward to the times I get to write, instead of obsessioning over having to write all the time! The true test of this came when a writing friend of mine recently received a contract. I waited for the green-eyed monster to rear its ugly head, but it didn't. I was genuinely happy!

Even though I gave up writing, I've probaby written just as many words as I did while working on my WIPs. Not writing opened the door for a new obsession. Blogging. After many months of pounding the keys and posting, trying to keep up with the Jones' of bloggville, I've gotten back to the heart of blogging. Writer...Interrupted was started out of my own need to connect with other writing moms who don't have the time to write. It has grown into something bigger than myself. It's exciting to see where God will take all this, and to know I am not equipped to do it on my own.

Not writing has made me a better mom and homeschooler. I no longer look at my kids as interruptions to my writing life, but blessings that should be enjoyed to the fullest, now! I used to push my children away when I wrote, annoyed that they interrupted me. Now I push the key board away (after I've finished a thought, of course) and invite my four-year-old up on my lap to watch me type.

So I guess giving up writing helped me become a better writer, mother, and follower of Christ. I still have my challenges, and always will, but whether or not I ever get published, one thing I do know is that writing is something I will always do. Yet, if it ever becomes an obsession again, I know what I'll have to do!

For the rest of the Carnival of Christian Writers be sure to visit to Writer...Interrupted.

The Carnival is just around the corner and we need YOUR WRITING Submissions. Go here for the guidelines and submission forms. The submission deadline is Saturday the 27th.

Christy Barrit is a speaker and freelance writer. The author of many books and articles, she is also worship leader at her chruch. Christy lives in Virginia with her husband and son. Welcome Christy!

Tell us a little about your family and your call to write.
I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for six years. This past June, our first baby was born—Eli Samuel. He’s been a real blessing, and by far my best “creation” yet. I started writing seriously about the time my husband and I got married. Though I love writing books, I realized that I also needed some stability in my income, so I began freelancing for various publications. Today, I have over 300 articles published, four books already out and two books slated for future publication.

I really enjoyed your recent release, Hazardous Duty. Tell us about it and the next books in the series.
Hazardous Duty a cozy chick-lit about a crime scene cleaner who likes to stick her nose into police business. The heroine, Gabby St. Claire, is sassy and determined. She wants to be a forensic pathologist, but was sidelined by family issues while in college. That’s what led her to crime scene cleaning. She finds a clue that the police missed while cleaning a senatorial candidate’s house after his wife has died. It then becomes a race to find the bad guy before the bad guy silences her forever. She has the help of two handsome men along the way.
The second book, The Grim Sweeper, continues following Gabby St. Claire’s journey. This time she’s taken on a mold remediation job since crime has been slow in the city. While under a house, she finds Elvis—dead. The rest of the story goes from there.

I just loved the first book and can't wait until the second!

How did you get your first “writing break?”
After college I worked at a Christian publishing house. This has really helped me in my freelancing career. After I left the company, I continued to write for them, mostly doing interviews with Christian music artists. An editor at the publishing house wanted to do a book project centering on Christian music. Several people recommended me for the project. He sent me a book proposal (a dream come true!) and I accepted. That was my first big book contract.

What do you write and why this genre?
I love writing chick-lit mystery/suspense. I love to style of chick-lit—the confessional, first-person tone. I really feel like I found my voice when I started writing in first-person. But I also love mystery and suspense. So I combined the two genres. I like to call it “genre fusion.”

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?
I always feel a little shallow when I say this, but really I want to entertain my readers. That’s why I read—I want to be sucked into another world, into another person’s life. So, first and foremost, I want to tell a good story. I hope that readers might take away a thing or two from the book besides being entertained, of course. But that’s my primary goal.

Life with a new baby has to be hectic. How has your writing life changed since you became a mom?
Wow, has it ever changed! Someone asked me what my schedule is like now and I told them it was something like this: settle to the computer, pull up my document, glance at my son, think about how cute he is, tickle his feet until he giggles, turn back to the computer, write one sentence, hear my son cooing, turn back to him, think about how cute he is, decide to take a picture, take the picture, remind myself that I have deadlines to meet, etc., etc. LOL! Not the most effective method for writing.

Are you finding it harder to manage your time with a baby who doesn’t understand the meaning of deadlines?
Very much so. At first, I tried to write during the day when Eli was with me. That was okay for awhile when he was only a few months old. But not anymore. Now, I try to work when he takes naps (which is rarely), when his dad is home, early in the morning, or whenever my mom watches him! Thankfully, my mom lives close by and she’s offered to watch him on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That’s when I get the bulk of my writing done.

How do you handle interruptions in your writing life?
I try to handle them with grace. I also try to be wise when scheduling my time. When my mother is watching Eli, I block off time for my novel writing. This means that I don’t answer the phone, I don’t check email, and I don’t think about anything else except my book. I’ve found that good communication with my family saves me a lot of frustration.

How do you get back into the flow of writing after you’ve been interrupted?
I need concentration to write. I can’t write in five-minute spurts. I’ve tried and been miserable. So I just try to find time when I know I won’t be interrupted—or that I’m the least likely to be interrupted. Sometimes I grab my laptop and drive to a local park. I sit in my car and write. I actually get quite a bit done on those days.

How do you position yourself to HEAR God’s voice when all the noises of life are swirling around you?
By having alone time. I go crazy without it, so I have to fit it in somehow. Sometimes, I have to wake up early to get it. Sometimes, I have to let my husband have an evening alone with Eli. My quiet time isn’t just selfish—it allows me to clear my head, to focus my priorities, and to chat with God. When my life gets too busy and hectic, everything goes downhill. I owe it to myself—and to God—to carve out quiet time.

If you ever feel your priorities slipping, what do you do to get back on track?
I step back. Like I was talking about in the previous question, I need my quiet time. I think when I’m really in tune with God, my heart will tell me if my priorities are out of order. I don’t have peace if my priorities are messed up. If I’m in tune with the spirit’s leading in my life, then I can refocus and get back on track more easily. I get in tune with God through prayer, reading the Bible, worship, and being with believers who inspire me to grow closer to God.

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?
Not yet. I used to be a workaholic—and I still struggle with that tendency. Until Eli was born, I was the worship leader at my church. After Eli was born I really felt like God telling me to let go of that ministry. And he raised someone else up to fill the position. I’m at total peace about it, though I do miss doing it. I realize that I can’t do everything and do it well.

I know Eli is going to grow up so fast. I don’t want to miss a moment of his life. If I have a writing agenda during my time with Eli, then I usually end up just being miserable. When Eli is playing by himself, I try to work on the house, on things that don’t require my concentration. I’m just going to take that step by step as he gets older. I definitely haven’t figured out balance yet, especially since Eli is changing all the time and my schedule right along with him.

Hey—maybe you could offer me some advice! J

Did you ever feel like you’ve “missed” God in regards to writing, that maybe you should be doing something else?
I’d have to say that writing is one of the few things that I feel pretty confident about. I struggle with insecurity in many areas. But six years ago, I really felt that God put it on my heart to write. I felt his calling in a way I’d never felt before. Of course there were times when I felt like giving up on writing because publication wasn’t coming quickly and I questioned my abilities. But regardless of that, I’ve persisted, really feeling like this is where I should be.

What advice would you give to writing moms?
I was really nervous before Eli was born that I wouldn’t be able to be a “good” mom and be a writer at the same time. A lot of women at my church don’t work (nor would they dream about working), they homeschool, they cook for their husbands every night, and their houses always seem to sparkle. They’re happy little homemakers! I thought I’d be a bad mom if I wasn’t like them, if I held on to my own non-family related ambitions.

A godly friend of mine sat me down and told me that it doesn’t have to be either/or. Just because I wanted to work, that didn’t mean I’d be a bad mom. I could be a great mom and follow God’s calling in my life to be a writer. Her words gave me tremendous peace. Now I realize that God has made us each individuals and we need to listen to his voice and his plan for our lives—not his plan for other people’s lives. Comparison will just make us miserable.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Sometimes I think that as mothers, we need to give each other a break, and realize that God has a plan for each of our lives. Mothers are the worst at judging other moms! Have you noticed that? I’m learning not to care, but it’s hard.

I went to a writers conference three months after my son was born. When people found out that I’d left my baby at home, some were horrified—and they let me know about it. But I knew my baby was being taken care of. I wouldn’t have left him otherwise. That didn’t change the fact that I felt totally judged. I’ve heard countless other stories similar to this.

Sometimes, other people’s opinions about our lives can be a hindrance to hearing God’s voice. Trust in God’s calling for your life. Listen to other people’s advice, but let God be your ultimate authority. God will speak to your heart if your life gets off balance. And remember that God has great plans for your life—whether that’s being a mom, being a writer or both.

Thanks so much for the interview, Gina! It gave me a chance to do some soul-searching before answering. God bless you, your family and your writing!

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and wisdom with me. May God bless you as you write, raise your baby and pursue His calling in your life.

For the full tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr go here.