Blood's Thicker Than Water, Ye Know

Nowhere in all the world, except for the hills and hollers of the Allegheny
Mountains will you hear such phrases as "He's kin to ye," or "She's over
yonder." Maybe, it is because up until about 50 or 60 years ago, the roads
leading in to the hills and hollers of places like West Virginia were not
the best to travel on, keeping those who live there in a bit of isolation.
Maybe, it's because children just naturally pick up on their parents
expressions. Whatever the reason, on any given day, when I was a teenager, I
was told, "Ye can't date that boy, 'cause he's kin to ye." I grew up hearing
expressions like, "I'll git to it dreckly." (directly). And, speaking of kin
folk, I'm related to a lot of people. In fact, the pictures that you see
here were taken of me with some of my family, the Adkinses.

On Saturday, August 22 around 1:00PM, the man who was my biological father,
Bill Adkins passed away. I am the oldest of four girls by him. My sisters,
Janisa, Britany and Jenny are younger and scattered about the US. Janisa and
Britany along with many other family members traveled to meet here in WV for
the services and to see family they hadn't seen in a long time. And, what a
reunion it was. It was so good to meet my sisters that I had not seen since
1990, the day I first met Bill Adkins. We exchanged phone numbers and
promises to keep in touch.

The funeral was yesterday, and let me say that it was one of the hardest
ones I had ever been to. Raw grief is pitiful to witness, but when you're
kin to them, it's even worse. I didn't know Bill AKA Billy as well as the
others, but still I couldn't hide my emotions inside, when everyone else was
having such a rough time of it. I don't feel betrayed, I have no regrets; I
know I did all I could to make him know he was welcome in my life. But, it's
my sisters who needed more from him.

To be perfectly honest, it's hard putting my thoughts about everything in to
words, but I think I summed it up yesterday when I told my husband, "If only
Billy could have been alive to see his own funeral, it might have changed
his ways, seeing all the love poured out for him." We will just never know.

So, when it comes to your kin folk, take nothing for granted, take advantage
of every moment you have with them, and forgive their tresspasses; they
aren't perfect, after all, but they are your kin.

Author Fridays Presents... Katie McCurdy!

Welcome to another edition of Author Fridays! Sit back, get comfortable and
read about this week's featured author, Katie McCurdy.

Katie McCurdy is the author of "Journey of Faith", a book geared toward
teens, but suitable for the whole family. It is published by Outskirts
Press, a self publishing company out of Colorado
www.outskirtspress.com

I first met Miss McCurdy when she contacted me about exchanging book
reviews. She had read the synopsis of my book, and finding our books to have
similarities, she wanted to know if I would be willing to read and review
her's. I looked up her book on the internet and intrigued, I decided to send
her a copy of "Wild Heart". She sent me a copy of "Journey of Faith", and I
think I read it all in one day. My review of her book I posted on
www.amazon.com
Katie's review of "Wild heart" is posted on Amazon.com as well. Just so you
will know, in the picture, Katie is on the left, and her sister, who is also
her editor is on the right.

An active young lady, McCurdy enjoys playing volley ball, acting in plays,
crocheting and cross stitch, but, as she has said in her interview, " My
absolute favorite hobby is to sit down with a good book and read! I can't
tell you how much I like to read! I like it just as much as I like writing.
Some of my favorite authors include: Frank Peretti, Sheridan Elaine Claude,
Shannon Nicole Wells, Elizabeth George, and Jane Austen."

"My urge to write a book began when I was very young, probably around the
age of nine or ten," McCurdy says. "At night, I always loved to lay awake
long into the night, thinking up my own adventures. Many of them I thought
would make a great book. But I always thought that writing books and
becoming an author was only for adults. So I satisfied myself with daydreams
of becoming an author 'one day'. But when a friend of mine let me read a new
book of hers, I was astonished to find that the author was only fifteen
years old! I thought about that for weeks after reading it and I finally
realized that I didn't need to wait until I was an adult to start writing
books. So shortly after that conclusion, I began my first book, Journey of
Faith, at eleven years old."

McCurdy goes on to say, "My ideas for the stories that I write come from
many different sources. The idea for my first book, "Journey of Faith", came
to me after I read the book "Stout Hearted Seven". It is a story about a
certain family with seven children who traveled on the Oregon Trail. When
they finally arrived in Oregon, both parents had died along the way and only
four of the children made it to Oregon. Their courage was so awing that I
wanted to write about another family who takes on the Oregon Trail. And so
began Journey of Faith. The story line has changed much since my first draft
of the book, but that is where the idea of the book came from. I have
several other books in the beginning stages. Whenever I think of a great
story line, I write it down before I forget it and sometimes even start the
first few chapters. But they have not grown much because I am presently
concentrating on the Legacy of Purpose series. But the ideas for these come
either from a movie I saw, a book I read, or an event I heard over the news
or in the paper. It's amazing where ideas can come from!"

One way that Katie tries to set her books apart from the thousands of
worldly books is to keep them pure and clean. "Life out in the West was
often hard and gruesome," she says, "but I have tried to present all of
these in a way that brings glory to God and doesn't pollute the mind of the
reader. There are so many books out there filled with trash, that finding
good books for teens is difficult. When I go to my local library, I have to
search high and low for a book that I will be able to read. Many of them are
harmful romance novels that aren't the most edifying thing for a girl in her
teens. Now this is not to say that I can never read a book that is about a
boy and girl who end up getting married, for even God is a lover of romance.
But the way that it is portrayed says everything. And in my second book
"Journey of the Heart", which is nearing completion, Faith goes through that
period of her life. It's a neat adventure and I hope that, when it is
published, everyone will enjoy a clean book that travels through the
interesting waters of courtship."

When I asked Miss McCurdy if she had any advice for any aspiring authors,
she said, "I know that authors hear this advice all the time, but it is so
true. If you want to become published, keep writing! Don't stop! If you
think your story isn't any good, keep working on it! My first draft of
Journey of Faith was both dull and simply awful! It went through many
changes to become what it is today. Just keep writing, keep imagining, and
keep dreaming!"

Talking with Katie via e-mail has been a delight; she reminds me of myself
at that age, the age when I was hard at work on the first rough draft of
"Wild Heart". It blesses me, knowing there are still young people out there
willing to spread the word of God. McCurdy is home schooled, and truly
routed and grounded in her faith, which shines through each page of her
book. I am honestly looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

In a closing statement, Katie says, "I hope that I can continue to write
books for the glory of God and the edification of my readers. Thank you,
Shannon, for interviewing me today!"

No, it's I who need to thank you, Katie.

To learn more about Katie McCurdy and her books, please visit her website
www.booksbykatie.webs.com

Thank you for joining me for this week's edition of Author Fridays! I hope
you will come back next Friday to read about a husband and wife writing
team, Dave and Lillian Brummet.

Author Fridays Presents...Cheryl Zemke!

Welcome to another edition of Author Fridays! Sit back, get comfortable and
read about this week's featured author, Cheryl Zemke.

Cheryl L. Zemke is the author of "Defenders of Naturion" published by
Publish America.
www.publishamerica.com
Zemke, a first time author holds a B.S.B.A and Associate degree in
merchandising, and owns her own business, CZ Creations Custom Sewing and
Alterations. She is married with a teenaged son.

"I am and probably always will be an artist, first," she says. I love books
with innovative and unique characters. So, the pictures have always meant
more to me than words." When asked about her hobbies, she replies,
"Drawing, camping, scrapbooking and having a great time watching my son grow
up. I do not have a favorite author, but as I learn about being an author
myself, I am growing to respect the classic children's book authors like Dr.
Seuss. Authors like him take Something very simple and make it yet so
creative, that everyone can enjoy reading. I have enjoyed reading books
like Spiderwick with my son. The artwork is amazing
And so is the imaginative story."

Zemke says she has never considered being an author before, however, she has
considered doing artwork for someone else's book. What inspired her to
write her story were some sketches that she and her son worked on, while
camping. The story developed from there," she says, "but it was my son and
his cousin who had confidence in me to tell the story in writing. They kept
me motivated to complete the book."

A woman who cannot resist putting a creative edge to everything, Cheryl
Zemke is inspired by nature and everyday life, both past and present.. She
feels that she is different from most authors in that she did not grow up
writing or even wanting to write. "This book was an inspiration from God
through what I love to do; draw and create." Cheryl wants to tell a good,
moral story that children will find adventurous, that parents will not have
to worry about the content therein, and one without all the blood and guts
that alot of fantasy stories have.

So, what will you get out of reading "Defenders of Naturion"? Cheryl says
she hopes that readers will connect with the characters. She tells me she
attempted to make each of them with some special, God-given natural ability
and also as realistic as possible. They do Not have the perfect DAD+MOM+2
kid and dog families. They have problems with their Peers at school and
things that they are not good at, as well.

God gives each of us an unbelievable talent of some sort," Zemke believes,
"and it is up to us to discover it and do things to praise His name! To any
aspiring author, she says, "Write as much as you can and never give up on
your dreams."

When I asked Cheryl if there was anything more that she wanted to share, she
informed me that all the artwork in "Defenders of Naturion" was created by
none of than herself, including the cover and its design, and 15 pages of
characters scattered inside the book. More characters can be seen on her
website,
www.defendersofnaturion.com

From her website, you can purchase a copy of her book and learn more about
it. There is a popular page called "the Fairy Realm" which features a new
fairy to vote on each week. Her site has been viewed by people in forty-five
of the fifty states and numerous places around the world, so stop by and
check out the characters from Naturion. There is a new character featured on
"Inside the story" page each month.

As a published author myself, it seems that once you've held your book in
your hand, you yurn to publish again, and again, and this seems to be true
with Cheryl Zemke. She is currently working on three more books: a sequel
to "Defenders of Naturion" titled "Color of the Jewel";
A picture book for young children ages zero to six years entitled "The
Adventures of Freddy and Teddy Book #1- Where's Teddy?"; and a book for ages
six to eight, entitled, "The Magical Dream Belt".

"I would like to thank Shannon for interviewing with me and taking this time
to help promote a story that means so much to me."

"No problem, Cheryl. It has been a pleasure."

To learn more about Cheryl L. Zemke, go to her website
www.defendersofnaturion.com

Thanks for joining me on another edition of "Author Fridays." If you are an
author and would like to be featured here, please send an e-mail to
SShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net
Put "author interview" in the subject, and I'll get back with you as soon as
I can. See you next week for another edition of "Author Fridays!"

Procrastinate? Me?

Yip! You heard it here, folks! I procrastinate so badly that my dad has been
quoted as saying, "You put more effort into thinking how to get out of doing
something, than it would take to just do it." AHEM, he's kind-a right...All
right, so on to other things.

As far as how we're doing, well, Kierstin, the 20-month-old got up this
morning around 3, turned on the TV, but instead of watching it, she came and
got in bed with my husband and me. I thought it was almost time to get up,
so I didn't think anything about it. However, when hubby gets up and turns
off the TV, and Kierstin got mad and cried, I checked my watch and sure
enough, it was just 3AM. It was funny how mad she got, cause he turned it
off, though. Anyway, so I put her back to bed, but as usual, I couldn't go
back to sleep. So, for the third morning in a row, I got up way earlier than
even the birds and played on the computer. I tried to write some, but this
crazy laptop of mine kept shutting down on me. Oh, y'all don't ever buy a
Toshiba! As soon as I have the money, i'm replacing it. I miss my old Compaq
I had; that wonderful laptop lasted 5 years straight before needing anything
done to it.

I tell you, it's so muggy outside that I've been running the AC to keep it
comfortable in here. However, I think I'd better go turn it off for a bit;
the babies get cold, sometimes. They are playing in their room right now, I
think, but still... If I'm getting chilly, then you know the babies are
probably freezing. Mean ole mommy, me.

Just FYI, my publisher tells me we should get an ISBN for my new book, some
time this week. Come to find out, it's more of a juvenile fiction, than a
children's book, and soon, when I have a release date and all, I'll put a
picture of the cover on here and give y'all more info about it. But, if you
want to save a buck or 2, you can preorder a copy from
www.agpress.8m.net
and save a couple of dollars. The first 50 people who preorder get it
without paying shipping and handling.

As for "Wild Heart" I should get the CDs of the audiobook any minute now. I
tell y'all it's so good...the reading, I mean. There's mistakes in the book,
my mistakes and big ones, but the reading is really good. You are in for a
treat, if I do say so myself. I listened to the MP3s over the weekend and
I'm amazed! I mean, W.B. Ward made the book come alive in a way i did not
expect. He gave emotions to the story that I didn't know were there, and he
made it sound as if someone famous had wrote the book. It inspired me to
write on the sequel, too, which I know will make some of you very happy.
But, I will caution you, don't get too excited about a sequel. I am writing
it, but remember, it took 15 years to write "Wild Heart", so don't get in a
hurry. Now, I know it isn't going to take no 15 years...I'm already up to
181 pages, but it will take a few months. What I do have so far is good, but
I digress. I was talking about the audio version of "Wild Heart". Ok, so
it's going to be 6 CDs and it's going to cost $20. If you're interested,
email me at
ShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net
Put "Wild Heart audiobook" in the subject and I'll get back with you as soon
as I can. If you're not sure and want to read more about the book, go see
the trailer for it at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TyA3l3-KrI
If that link doesn't work, go to YouTube and in the search box type in "Wild
Heart movie 3".

Well, now I'm starting to actually get cold, and I hear the washer getting
ready to spin the final time, and I'm getting hungry and... Catch y'all
another time, and don't forget to come back soon for my featured author this
Friday. It's going to be good.

Author Fridays Presents Sheridan Elaine Claude

Welcome to another edition of Author Fridays! Sit back, get comfortable and
read about this week's featured author, Sheridan Elaine Claude

Sheridan Elaine Claude is the author of "Across Time, Across Tears" and" The
Long Walk Home", both published by Publish America.
www.publishamerica.com
She gives credit to the grace of God for honoring "The Long Walk Home" as
book of the week and the number one best seller for three weeks. It was
among the top ten best sellers for three months.

"I was raised in a pagan household," Claude says. "My parents weren't saved
until after I was grown. The Lord had mercy on me when I was
thirty-three-years-old, but it is interesting to note that my initial
inspiration came from reading the Christian apologist, C.S. Lewis as a
child. My imagination was awakened by his "Narnia" series. My mom also had
the entire "Nancy Drew" series when I was young, so I spent hours inside
mystery books. When I was in fourth grade, I was no longer content to read
the stories of others. I wanted to create. This desire became a driving
force. By the time I was in sixth grade, I had written and illustrated three
books. The last book was a time-travel novel called "The Time Tunnel". When
a TV program came out with the same title and a similar premise, I was
crushed, and threw my book away, thinking that only one of us could legally
hold the rights to the story, and they had beat me to it. I turned to art,
only coming back to writing when I was a senior in High School. After a
hitch as a Navy medic during the Vietnam War, I used the GI Bill to major in
creative writing at Northern Arizona University, and began writing a fantasy
series for the world. The series, very popular among the college students,
was in the early stages of publication when the Lord allowed my life to fall
apart. My husband left me for another woman, and I moved to Florida. Five
months later the Lord graciously had mercy on my soul. Again, I threw away
my books, two of which were complete, and the third was under way. I didn't
want my name associated with such stories. Needless to say, I lost my
literary agent. After that, I donated my computer to my church's Christian
school and stopped writing. That is, until the Lord drew me back to it."

When interviewing Ms. Claude, my heart was touched to learn how she came up
with the ideas for her books. An idea for "The Long Walk Home", started
while she was listening to a testimony given by a friend from her church,
Gita. "I was amazed that she had survived the sinking of a ship and the
devastation of World War II, as a young woman," says Claude. "I had been her
prayer partner for two years and knew nothing about her horrific past! As I
listened," Claude continues, "I noticed tears on the faces of Gita's
audience, even as I wiped my own eyes. My pulse was pounding. The urge to
write returned full force. I silently prayed to be allowed to tell her
story. When the evening ended, one of Gita's daughters asked me to consider
writing her mother's story, and my heart leapt for joy and wonder. However,
Gita was dismayed by the idea. She was terrified of revisiting her memories,
and afraid that the Russian Secret Police (KGB) would arrest her. Old fears
die hard, especially deep ones. I suggested that the three of us pray about
the matter, and if the Lord wanted her story told, He would have to supply
me with a computer or typewriter. Within the month, my estranged husband
sent me a computer, printer, monitor, and even the paper to get started!"

Sheridan's novel, "Across Time, Across Tears" began as a burden on her heart
for a young Moslem convert to Christianity, who was sentenced to die. He was
to be executed the next morning, so Claude spent all night praying for him.
The next she heard, he had been released from prison, and exiled to
Australia with his wife and young child. For this, she gives God all the
praise! Two nights later, she had a vivid dream about the Middle East. "I
don't usually remember my dreams," Claude confides, "but this one wouldn't
leave me alone. From that dream came the idea for a story about a young
woman whose undercover medical-missionary parents are killed in the Middle
East, leaving her alone to flee their murderers. The twist comes when Rachel
is sold to the crown prince responsible for the jihad, but since she is
veiled, he has no idea who he has bought. Then God begins to work on both of
them! The book is a Christian thriller."

When it comes to ideas for her books, Claude says that they do not come
easily, although she wishes it were otherwise. She encourages beginners to
write about what they know and what they have experienced. "An idea can come
from anywhere," she says. "Keep your eyes and ears open. Jot them down when
they come. Don't think you will retain them. I've lost many thoughts because
I failed to write them down." And, when asked for her best advice, she
continues, " Write, write, write, and then write some more! Writing takes
practice, just like any skill. The principle that I live by is even if you
are the only person who will ever see your manuscript, do the best job that
you can. Why? Because the Lord sees, and you never know from what direction
your breakthrough will come. Do it unto the Lord. Also, remember that the
best stories have a character with an overriding goal, a deep fear, and the
opportunity to achieve the former and confront the latter. Don't be afraid
to let your characters be themselves. It will stretch you as a writer.
Create your characters, devise incidences, tell stories, and do it with
sincerity and passion!"

As an adult, Ms. Claude does not have a favorite author, but when she was a
child her favorite was J.R.R. Tolkien, followed closely by C.S. Lewis. She
says she doesn't read as much as she used to, because she has been
disappointed by the shallowness of so many Christian books. She says, and I
quote, "Most mainstream Christian publishers are interested in turning a
nice profit, so they sacrifice biblical truth for broad-audience books that
cause no offense. There is a balance that can be found between a book that
is preachy (which I personally dislike, unless it is a doctrinal book) and
one that is so shallow one can hardly tell it is Christian. I hope my books
have found that balance."

In times past, Sheridan has enjoyed outdoor sports, such as downhill skiing
and scuba diving, and less extreme engagements such as golf, camping and
swimming. Art (her minor study in college) was a hobby for many years until
her eyes dictated that she give it up. Now, she spends time at her computer,
writing, emailing, editing for others, and enjoying both mind-stimulating
and relaxing computer games. She takes daily three-mile walks to help her
mind to focus. In 2005 she began co-authoring movie scripts, which took her
in the direction of screenwriting. "All three of the scripts that I was
privileged to work on," she tells me, "were produced: two by an independent
Christian studio called Last Acts Studio, and the third for the University
of Florida. I directed and edited the movie for UF, as well as co-authored
the script."

I personally have not had the privilege to read Ms. Claude's books, but be
assured, I would love to do so, especially, after writing this article. When
I asked her what makes her books so special, she replied, "We are entering
into hard times as a nation and as a world. Christians need to know and
understand God's mercy in allowing us to suffer. We need to know that it
strengthens faith. We need to know that we can trust Him with our lives no
matter what happens. God is with us, and still loves us. Both of my books
tell stories of young women that lost everything and continued on to victory
with God's help. Both books give courage, lift depression, and draw people
into Jesus' loving embrace with tears and laughter. There is laughter, love
and life after total despair. Hold on; the light is coming, and that light
is Jesus."

For more information about Sheridan Elaine Claude and her books, please
visit her website
www.sheridanclaude.com

Thank you for joining me today! If you are a published author and would like
to be featured here, please send an email to
ShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net
Put "author interview" in the subject, and I'll get back with you as soon as
I can. Thanks for reading and come back next Friday for another edition of
Author Fridays!

Author Fridays: Marsha Coles

Welcome to the first edition of "Author Fridays", where you will find
information about an author that you might not know. Sit back, get
comfortable and read about this week's featured author, Marsha Coles.

Marsha Coles is the author of four books, plus a cookbook. "Texas Justice"
and "The Mystery of Coldstone Manor" were published this year by Publish
America. "Poetry & Rythym" and "Sarah & Sally's Big Adventure" were
published through CreateSpace. I first met Marsha on Publish America's
message boards, where new authors from all walks of life come together to
discuss their books and the publishing process with Publish America. "Texas
Justice" is similar to my first book, "Wild Heart" and Marsha and I
exchanged reviews of one another's books. My review of her book can be
found on her website
www.mcolesworks.webs.com
as well as "Texas Justice"'s product page on
www.amazon.com
Her review of my book can be found at
www.christianhomeplace.com

Through this highly efficient tool we call e-mail, I had the pleasure of
interviewing Ms. Coles. When asked about her passion for writing, here is
what she had to say.

"I guess I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was very little. I cannot
remember a time when I didn't. I still have my stories I wrote in
Kindergarten, so, I guess I was five years old when I knew I wanted to be a
writer. Many people inspired me, my family and friends but one person stood
out. Her name was Madine Pulaski. She wasn't a writer but she was a very
influential person. She was a pilot and owned her own airplane. She
created a program in California with her flying ability and I was very lucky
to have her summer home next to mine. She always told me never to give up."

Marsha Coles lives in the Cherokee Nation Capitol, Tahlequah Oklahoma. She
loves to read, write, play Clue with her daughter, and research her family
history. Her love for reading is always with her, but she finds that since
she has four books published she is too busy promoting them to take time out
to read. Her favorite books are the historical romances set in Scotland and
England. Her favorite author is Hannah Howell.

When asked what inspires her to write, Coles says, "Anything can inspire a
writer to write given the proper setting and atmosphere. It could be a word
or a sentence someone says that sparks an idea or sitting outside watching
nature. I like mysteries so my two romance books will hopefully keep you on
edge until the answer is revealed and be enchanted by the romance that
blossoms along the way. My
poetry book tells of living in rural America and "Sarah & Sally's Big
Adventure" is to teach children the reason there are rules."

When it comes to advice for any aspiring author, I believe Marsha's words of
wisdom are worth remembering. She says, and I quote, "There will be
rejection letters; that is part of the writing contract, but for all those
rejections there will be an acceptance letter that will come someday. You
just
have to be persistent and never fold under the pressure. When you write a
book and it is published there is one important thing to remember; the best
thing you can do is promote, promote, promote!"

For more information about Marsha Coles and her books, visit her website
www.mcolesworks.webs.com

Come join me every Friday for new articles featuring authors. If you would
like to be featured here, please send an email to
ShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net
Put "author interview" in the subject, and I'll get back with you as soon as
I can. Thanks for reading and come back soon!

Author Interviews: Coming Soon!

That's right! Soon, on this blog, I will be posting interviews with knew or
little-known authors. If you are a published author or know someone who is,
pass the word, and come back often. You never know what you'll find. If the
response is good, I'll post interviews often, but until I get a steady
stream of writers lined up, once every two weeks, I think, will be the way
it will go. To start things off right, below is an interview with me. I
simply answered the questions that I want to use in an interview with
someone else. Instead of a Q&A, I have decided to make it like an article.
Y'all let me know what you think.

My earliest memories are of making up stories in my head, but I clearly
remember when I first knew I wanted to write. I had read a book that
described the lives of several different children with physical
disabilities. I was eight-years-old, and I remember thinking to myself, "It
isn't right that the writer of this book didn't put anything in here about
blind people. Why, if I were to write a story, it would be about me and my
friends who are blind, telling everyone what it was like." And so, I sat
down at my braille writer and did just that. Four pages later, I took the
story to my teacher, who praised it highly. Since then, I haven't stopped
writing.

Ideas for stories do not come from any one source, but from many.
Sometimes, it is a song that plops an idea in my head. Sometimes, it's
another story written by someone else. Sometimes, it's a show on TV or a
movie, and then, there are times that ideas just pop in my head from
seemingly nowhere.

The idea for my first book, "Wild Heart" published by Publish America
actually came from other books. I'm a Western fan, and I found myself
wishing for Westerns with a little romance in them that were also from a
Christian perspective. I read nearly every book at the local library and
bought several, but nothing seemed to satisfy me. So, I sat down one
evening and began to write. Fifteen years later, it's a published work.
It's a Western, with some adventure, romance, mystery, some violence, and
it's from a Christian perspective. My children's book, "Gold! A Tall Tale"
published by AG Press is now available for preordering and will be available
soon. I actually wrote it while still in high school. My English
instructor gave an assignment, in which we had to write our own tall tale.
We had been reading tall tales in class, and so, taking my enjoyment for
butchering the English language, I wrote about Paw and Maw Bump and their
six children who take a trip to Californy to look fer gold.

As you may already know from what I've said, I love to read almost as much
as I love to write. My favorite book by far is the Bible. My favorite
authors include Laura Ingalls Wilder, Joni Eareckson Tada, Diana Gabaldon,
Janet Oake, Susan May Warren, Kay L. McDonald, Patricia Cornwell, Karen
Kingsbury, Lynn Austin Deeanne Gist, and Joy Hakim, to name a few. I also
enjoy other hobbies, such as crocheting, singing, playing the piano,
listening to music, making home made bread, and when I get the chance,
walking on a pretty day. I keep busy, as I am married to a preacher and
have two little girls.

What will you gain by reading my books? Well, for one, you will be
intertained not only by the stories themselves, but also by some of my more
goofier characters, who talk worse than any hillbilly you'll ever meet. I
also believe that when you read my books, you will be opening your heart to
what God may be leading you to do; I truly believe God's holy spirit leads
me in my writing. Therefore, I don't think you can escape it. When I
write, I try to show through the lives of my characters that God does have a
say in our day to day lives, and we can overcome, if Christ lives in our
hearts.

If someone is thinking seriously about publishing their work, or just wants
to become a writer, then the best advice that I can give is know what you
are writing about. If you want to write about living in 1880, then look up
what life was like in 1880. If you want to write about a person who is
blind, do your research. Nothing, and I mean nothing turns me off more than
an author who writes about something that clearly he/she doesn't know a
thing about. In saying that, if you pick up a copy of my book, "Wild Heart"
and find the mistakes that I assure you are there, please forgive this first
time author's mistakes. I am insuring, through the help of Google that it
will not happen again. Also, find a good editor. Books with mistakes or
writing that is not understandable won't get you nowhere.

Having my first book published has been unlike anything that I have ever
experienced, and I am so glad that I took the plunge. Having a disability
could have stopped me, but instead, I am trying to let it become a blessing
to others. We are only given one chance in this life, and so I figure I'd
better make use of what I've got. Wouldn't want to stand before my Maker
one day and have to answer, "Well, Lord, that talent you gave me? You see,
I buried it." No way! Instead, I want to be able to hear Him say, "Well
done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter in to the joys of the Lord."

Shannon Nicole Wells
author of "Wild Heart" and "Gold! A Tall Tale"
www.christianhomeplace.com